


What Lies Unseen

by InkForOne



Category: LazyTown
Genre: And introducing Gardener mom, And teacher dad, Both the people who run the grocery store are OCs, But Number Eight is a sweetheart, Cake Dad, Can we all agree that Robbie is not okay?, Doesn't follow the episodes, F/M, Fae Robbie Rotten, Gardener OC, Give this man a friend, I'm trying to be original here, M/M, Magic, One OC has foresight, Robbie is oblivious to his own feelings, Sportacus is gay in this btw, Sporty dad, THERE WILL BE OCS, Takes place a year after Stephanie and Sportacus arrive, Teacher OC, You can pry this schoolboy crush trope from my cold dead fingers, additional tags to follow, cursing, elf sportacus, number nine was a DICK
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2019-11-17 20:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18105665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkForOne/pseuds/InkForOne
Summary: Robbie Rotten already had too much to handle, what with Sportacus and those kids ruining his plans all the time. But now a new town gardener moves to Lazytown, and he's not sure what to make of her. She could ruin his plans like the rest of them, or maybe she could become a new friend.Daisy Greenthumb thought a nice gardening job in a nice quiet town would be easy. But the kids get in trouble all the time, the adults aren't exactly competent (save for the resident hero), and the local villain is making mayhem every other day. She's making new friends, keeping in touch with friendships from her past, all while villains run rampant and an ancient evil begins to surface in Lazytown.





	1. Have You Heard the News?

**Author's Note:**

> I saw a lack of Robbie/ OC fics, and I seek to change it. Hopefully you enjoy!
> 
> Part 1: Pruning

_All the kids in Lazytown lazed about as they had in the good old days, and he sat above them, high on a glorious mound of chocolate and double fudge ice cream – his favorite! “No more sports!” he declared, waving around a lollipop like it was a scepter. All the kids nodded their heads and murmured in agreement._

 

“ _That's a great idea!” the computer one said. What was his name? Pixie? Pumpkin?_

 

“ _I hate sports,” the mischievous girl with three pigtails chimed. “Let's just do nothing all day.”_

 

“ _And let's not invite Sportacus to Lazytown ever again!” the pink one shouted, and he laughed, tossing her a piece of chocolate for being such a good little girl._

 

“ _Ah, what a wonderful day to be lazy! What a wonderful day for candy and cake! No more sports, no more fruits and vegetables, and no more Sportacus!”_

 

“Sportacus! Sportacus! Oh please, someone help me!”

 

Robbie flailed about as the mayor's voice woke him from the wonderful dream he'd been having. As usual, he ended up on the ground, and he growled as he pushed himself up and nabbed his pillow from the park bench. What in the world was that useless politician shouting about now?

 

He looked around, his pale, sneaky eyes searching wildly for any sign of the mayor. And he found him about twenty feet away, dangling precariously branch that looked like it might crack at any moment.

 

So Robbie stomped over so he could make an official complaint.

 

“Mr. Mayor!” he shouted up at the rotund man, his pillow tucked firmly under his arm. “How in the world am I supposed to get a decent nap when you're up there shouting at the top of your lungs? As mayor, aren't you responsible for keeping things peaceful? As in _quiet_?”

 

“Please, Mr. Rotten, can't you see I'm a bit busy right now? I was trying to trim these branches up here, but then my ladder fell and I barely managed to catch this branch in time! Could you kindly put the ladder back where it was so I can get down?”

 

He scowled up at the mayor, but then the wicked, rotten gears of ingenuity started clicking in his brain. What if he could turn this situation into something more in his favor?

 

“If I do,” he said carefully, his shoulders rising as a fiendish grin spread over his face, “will you promise me that Lazytown will stay quiet?”

 

“Mr. Rotten, now is hardly the time!”

 

“Well then, I suppose you'll just have to wait on Sportadupe to catch you! I've got more important things to do, so I'll be on my way. Good day, mayor!”

 

“Wait, Mr. Rotten, please!”

 

“No, no, you've made your views plenty clear! And I really must be going, or I'll miss my four o'clock nap!”

 

“Oh dear, oh my! Oh, whatever will I do? Sportacus!!!”

 

Robbie laughed his wonderfully wicked laugh and stomped away, determined to get away from the scene before that Sportaflop showed up and sullied the peaceful atmosphere with his exercise and healthy habits. Blech! What a disgrace this town had become! He needed a plan to get rid of that sporty elf loser before it was too late, but first, his four o'clock nap was calling his name.

 

“You get a pass today, Sportaloser,” he grumbled to himself as he lumbered back to his lair. “But one day...one day, Lazytown will return to its former lazy glory, and it will be all because of me!”

 

…

 

Sportacus had just finished his afternoon round of pushups, and he considered dropping by Lazytown to check on the kids. Suddenly his crystal beeped, alerting him to danger down in the town.  
  
"Someone's in trouble!" he told himself (out of habit at this point), and he leapt into the air, landing gracefully in the cockpit of his airship.  
  
A few minutes later, he landed in town square, searching the empty town for signs of trouble.  
  
"Help! Oh, please someone help me!"  
  
"The mayor!" he shouted, running towards the panicked voice. The poor man dangled precariously from a tree branch, and Sportacus flipped over a low wall and bounded towards the tree. Once he was under the mayor, he held out his arms, bracing himself firmly for the rescue.  
  
"Mayor!" he called up. "Let go and I'll catch you!"  
  
"If you say soooooo!!!!" And with a loud crack, the tree branch gave way, plummeting the poor mayor towards the ground.  
  
Sportacus didn't hesitate, noticing the fallen ladder on the ground. With a kick, it shot up, catching the tree branch as he caught the mayor.  
  
"Gotcha!"  
  
The mayor panted with relief as the superhero set him on his feet. "Oh, thank you so much, Sportacus!"  
  
He laughed. "Happy to help, mayor. What were you doing up in that tree?"  
  
The mayor sighed loudly as Sportacus tossed the tree branch onto the ground. "Oh, Sportacus, what's a mayor to do? I have so much paperwork to do and meetings to plan and calls to make...but I can't leave the town looking like an overgrown dump! The trees need trimming, the grass needs mowing, the flowerbeds haven't been weeded in a month! I'm overworked, Sportacus, and that's the long and short of it!"  
  
He nodded in pity, but then brightened as an idea came to him. "What if me and the kids help you out? And Bessie too! I'll go round up the kids and your gardening supplies, and you go get Bessie on those phone calls. We'll have the town looking better in no time!"  
  
"That's a wonderful idea!" Sportacus was pleased that the mayor looked so relieved, but he frowned as the shorter man deflated.  
  
"I really appreciate your help, and I'm more than happy to let you and the children work on the town...but I can't keep asking you to do this. Everything will be overgrown again in a month anyway..."  
  
"Hmm..." Sportacus stretched a bit as he mulled over this problem. "You know, mayor...Lazytown has grown a bit, and it might be time to get someone to take care of the town so you can focus on your duties."  
  
"Whatever do you mean?"  
  
"I think you should hire a gardener!"  
  
Mayor Meanswell gasped in sudden comprehension. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that before? Oh, Sportacus, I think a professional is just what we need for this. I'm so glad you thought of it!"  
  
"Me too!" he replied with a laugh. "You should get an ad in the paper as soon as you can!"  
  
"Yes, yes, I will! Oh, thank goodness, I can finally finish my paperwork and balance the budget...and I have so many things I need to order...and we'll need housing for them too, and I think the old Maplewood house over by the park would do nicely..."  
  
The mayor wandered off towards town hall, muttering to himself about expenditures and invoices, and Sportacus smiled.  
  
"Good luck, mayor!" he shouted at his back, and he ran off towards Pixel's house, hoping he could get the kids on board with cleaning up the town.

 

…  
  
Two weeks later, Stephanie bounced a ball around the track, slightly bored with the quiet, slow summer day. All the other kids were inside playing video games, but she wanted to be outside to play.  
  
"Would you stop that?" a familiar, grouchy voice shouted at her. "I'm trying to take a nap!"  
  
Robbie Rotten glared at her from a nearby park bench, and she sighed in exasperation.  
  
"None of the other kids want to play outside. They all want to stay inside with Pixel's video games."  
  
"Why are you complaining to me, little girl? Go join your friends inside. Leave me alone."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Go. Inside. Bye-bye!"  
  
He laid back down matter-of-factly, and she huffed, tossing the basketball towards the court and running towards town hall. Her uncle had mentioned that he had a very important phone call this afternoon, and she figured hearing his news would be more exciting than watching another level of Super Blue Rhino Race.  
  
"Hey uncle!" she called, waltzing through the door. "Did that call - oh." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she realized her uncle was on the phone. He looked happy, so whatever conversation he was having was bound to end in good news.  
  
"If you're still interested in the position, Ms. Greenthumb, it's yours!" A pause, and her uncle's eyes lit up. "Oh, fantastic! And, like I mentioned, there is a small house included, and we should have all the tools you need!" Another pause. "Yes, of course! Oh, this is simply wonderful! How soon can you start?"  
  
Stephanie smiled and leaned on the railing, eager to hear who this Ms. Greenthumb was.  
  
"Next week should be perfect! Thank you so much for your time. And you know where to find us, don't you? Mm-hm...oh good! Well, I look forward to meeting you in person. Have wonderful day!"  
  
He hung up the phone and beamed at her. "Oh, Stephanie, I just got the most wonderful news! I put out an ad in the paper two weeks ago for the new Lazytown gardener, and the position has just been filled!"  
  
"And her name is Ms. Greenthumb?"  
  
"Yes, Daisy Greenthumb! She's a young woman, just a few years out of college. She'll be starting here next week!"  
  
She grinned. "That's great, uncle! So no more getting stuck in trees, huh?"  
  
He chuckled. "No...with any luck, I'll never be stuck up a tree again! But considering how...interesting the town is..."  
  
"You never know!" she replied with a laugh. "I'm going to go tell the other kids!"  
  
"And I'll tell Sportacus! This was his idea, you know."  
  
She nodded and skipped out the door, her good mood returning. Finally, another new person in Lazytown!

 

"Why are you skipping, little girl?" Robbie growled as she passed him. He looked to be done with his nap. "And why do you look so happy?"

  
"Why does it matter?"  
  
"Because whatever is making you happy will probably make me unhappy. So break the bad news to me so I can be prepared! Is Sportacus holding a jumping bean contest or something?"  
  
Stephanie put her hands on her hips. "No, Robbie. I'm going to tell the other kids that we're getting a new town gardener!"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A gardener! She's going to take care of the trees and flowers and mow the grass and pull weeds, that sort of thing!"  
  
"Oh!" he cried, suddenly understanding, going by his grin. But then his expression soured. "Oh..."  
  
She frowned. "What's wrong with that, Robbie? It's just gardening."  
  
"She'll be outside all the time?"  
  
"...yes."  
  
"Making noise?"  
  
"Well, maybe a little?"  
  
"And, if she's taking care of the plants, then that means she'll be looking after all these disgusting sportscandy trees! Oh, this is terrible!"

  
He stomped away in the direction of the woods, but Stephanie just sighed and continued on her way, chalking up Robbie's outburst to his usual weird self.  
  
"Hey Stephanie!"  
  
She brightened at the sound of Sportacus' voice, turning to see him flipping towards her. He landed with a grand triple flip, and she clapped in appreciation.  
  
"Did the mayor tell you the good news?"  
  
"About our new gardener? Yes, I'm so excited!"  
  
"Your uncle is very happy to have someone to help him! Have you told the other kids?"  
  
"I was just going to tell them now," she replied, and he laughed.  
  
"Then come on!" He gestured for her to proceed him, and they both broke out in a light jog, twin smiles on their faces at the prospect of a new face in Lazytown.

  
…

 

Nehviah took another sip from her coffee mug, staring contemplatively at the view out her kitchen window, which faced the rolling plains and hills north of Lazytown. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, and she and Stan would go into the store in about an hour to open and get ready for the day.

 

Her thoughts were focused on the dream she had dreamt last night, but she smiled wanly at her husband as he wandered into the kitchen, yawning.

 

“Morning, pumpkin,” he murmured, fixing himself a mug of coffee. “Did you sleep well last night?”

 

She turned to him with a sigh. “I had a dream last night.”

 

He paused in his breakfast preparations and looked at her, his eyebrows rising in intrigue. “Really? Good or bad?”

 

“I think it bodes well for Lazytown, actually. Like when I had that dream about Sportacus' arrival last year. This is a good thing.”

 

Stan smiled at her over the rim of his mug. “Well, that's a relief. What happened?”

 

She set down her mug and crossed her arms. “We were over at the old Maplewood house. You know, that one with the nice back porch and garden and shed and everything? Right by Lazy Park...and the place was decorated for a birthday party. But it was for Robbie Rotten.”

 

Her husband was obviously surprised. “Really? Who would throw a party for him?”

 

“It was a young woman. I've never seen her before.” She closed her eyes, trying to remember. “I think someone called her Daphne. Or was it Delilah, maybe?”

 

Stan tilted his head. “Young woman, huh?” He smirked. “What did she look like?”

 

“Curly red hair, bright green eyes, face full of freckles. She was short and wore overalls. And she and Robbie were getting along so well...it was honestly a relief to see someone reigning him in. But we sung him 'happy birthday' and we all had cake...it was nice.”

 

As whenever she had a dream like this (which wasn't very often), there was nothing to do about it but watch and wait. This time, however, she had her first clue as to what her dream meant when Bessie Busybody sauntered in late that day; she snapped to attention as the blue-haired woman perused the paper towels, tittering away on her cell phone.

 

“Oh yes, Ethel, you heard it first from me! A young woman has accepted the position and will be here next week! Can you believe it, a gardener after all these years? Oh, I must put together a few gardening tips for her, and maybe see if she could help Milford with my lawn one of these days. But what were you saying about Cornelia?”

 

Nehviah's attention slipped away as Bessie chattered on with one of her many friends. Could this be the young woman she had seen getting along with Robbie? She made a mental note of that information and continued refilling the bread counter, a slight smile on her face. Anyone who could get along with Robbie was worth knowing, in her opinion. She had suspected that the grumpy recluse had a few secrets up his sleeve, though it seemed he knew that she suspected him. He never came around the store very often these days.

 

She sighed and strolled to the counter, and Bessie said goodbye to her friend and put away her phone.

 

“Oh, Mrs. Stocks, you'll never believe it! We're getting a new gardener in Lazytown next week!”

 

“Oh, that's so lovely!” Stan said enthusiastically, and Nehviah nodded politely, her attention sharp again. “What's her name?”

 

“Her name is Daisy Greenthumb – such a nice name, don't you think? This is simply marvelous, you know, considering all these years Milford has had to take on such a load by himself, poor man. Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to talk to Geraldine and Harriet and tell them the good news. Oh, this is so exciting!”

 

And Bessie moseyed out the door, still talking to herself, and Nehviah stared after her, hardly hearing what Stan was trying to tell her.

 

“Pumpkin?” he said, and she forced herself out of her thoughts and looked to her husband. “Pumpkin, are you okay?”

 

“The girl in my dream?” she whispered, and Stan nodded. “Her name was Daisy.”

 


	2. A Warm Welcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daisy arrives in Lazytown. Robbie's not sure what to make of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to GlannisGirl for reviewing. I appreciate it!

Daisy had expected to be bored on the ride to Lazytown, and although the scenery hardly changed from the Busy City outskirts onward, it looked rather lovely in the quiet, mist-filled morning.

 

She sighed as yet another field passed by, the swath of green unbroken for miles around. She could see a wall of purple mountains in the distance, but between the range and the road was nothing but flat, unchanging farmland. The sky above the horizon danced with half a dozen shades of red and pink and yellow and bright gold, and she was pleased she had chosen the early morning moving time.

 

“So, Lazytown, huh?”

 

The taxi driver hadn't said a word for the last forty minutes, but she glanced forward at him. “Oh, I'm their new gardener. The mayor hired me last week.”

 

“Well, I suppose there's not much to do around there except garden. But they sure do live up to their name. Pretty quiet town.”

 

She smiled at him through the rearview mirror. “I think I'll like it just the same.”

 

The driver shrugged, and she glanced back at the moving van following a carlength behind them. She didn't own very much, and she had called the mayor back the previous week to ensure she didn't need to put something in storage. Mayor Meanswell assured her that the house was unfurnished, so she was free to bring her own furniture with her; she hardly had anything, just a handful of basic pieces, enough to be comfortable.

 

The taxi crested the hill, and the community of Lazytown slipped into view, its bright buildings gleaming in the early light of the morning. She smiled and straightened, taking in the sights as they drove past a large billboard with a cow painted on it. The town slumbered in the early morning light, still and silent, the air rich with the promise of a hot summer. The car slowed to a halt and she opened the door, stepping confidently out into her new hometown, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth of the breeze and the faint birdsong in the trees.

 

“Well, enjoy Lazytown, miss,” the driver said as she paid him. “Take care, and call if you need a ride back to Busy City, eh?”

 

She laughed. “Probably won't need one of those for a very long time. Drive safe!”

 

He shrugged and pulled away, and she directed the moving van to back up a little closer to the sidewalk so they could unload everything more easily.

 

“Ms. Greenthumb! You've arrived!”

 

The warm, boisterous voice of the mayor cut through the silence, and a short, balding, rotund man hurried over to her, a key in his hand. He stopped in front of her and held out his hand, and she shook it with a smile.

 

“A pleasure to meet you, Mayor Meanswell. I'm glad to be in Lazytown.”

 

“Oh, the pleasure is all mine! Lazytown needs someone like you – I've tried taking care of all the plants and trees myself for years, and well...let's just say, I'm not cut out for this sort of thing. Maybe in my younger days, I would have done better, but as it is, Lazytown needs the tender, loving care of a professional to make it look its best!”

 

“That's what I'm here for,” she said with a nod, and the moving guys hopped out of the van.

 

“Oh, I nearly forgot! Here's your key!”

 

She took it from him, holding the small, golden key in her hand for a moment before closing her fingers around it.

 

“And once you've settled in, would you care to come over to the town hall to sign a few papers? Just to get you official, you know.”

 

“Absolutely!” she assured him. “This shouldn't take but an hour, maybe. I'll be over as soon as I can.”

 

He laughed, patting his large, round belly. “Excellent! But please be there by a quarter to nine at the latest. Myself and the good people of Lazytown have a surprise for you, and we're gathering at ten in the town square!”

 

“Oh,” she said, holding the key in her hand tighter. She hadn't expected more than a handshake and a tour, and the prospect of meeting so many people when she hardly had her bearings made her anxious. But she nodded and smiled anyway. It was just one day, and soon she would at work with her plants and probably wouldn't have to interact with the townsfolk too much.

 

“And I'll get you the key to the toolshed when you come over to town hall. It's still hanging in my office.”

 

“Alright, I'll see you shortly, mayor. Thanks again for this.”

 

“No, no, thank you! I have a feeling you're going to be a wonderful asset to our little town!”

 

She smiled again, but it faded as he wandered off towards the center of town. She took a deep breath and went to unlock the door, and stepped over the threshold to her new home.

 

Wooden floors stretched wall to wall, and she could tell from the windows that her home would have lots of light in it. The first room in the house was the living room, and in the back right of the house was the kitchen. To the left was a small hallway that led to a laundry closet, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. Everything was open and spacious and bright and warm, which wasn't what she expected just from looking at the outside of the house.

 

She glanced back at the moving guys, who were preparing to carry in her sectional. She opened the door wide for them and stepped aside, taking a deep breath. She could do this. The house was perfect, the mayor was friendly, and the town was nice and quiet.

 

Despite the ceremony the mayor had mentioned, she had a feeling this was going to be a very good day.

 

…

 

She signed and dated the last piece of paperwork, and the mayor filed it away as she set the pen back down on his desk. He pulled a key off the wall and handed it over to her, and as she was putting it on her keyring, she noted out of the corner of her eye that he was moving to the window.

 

“Oh my, it's almost ten o'clock! And it looks like everything is ready! If you'll please follow me, it's time for the ceremony!”

 

She braced herself with a deep breath, then followed the mayor down the steps of town hall and over to the town square, which was little more than a plain courtyard with a small stage and podium set up on one end. But she smiled as she noted a banner hung up over the stage: _Welcome to Lazytown!_ was spelled out in bright green and blue lettering, and it looked like it might have been the work of a child. Even still, it was touching.

 

Her smile faded slightly as she noted the small gathering was mostly made of children. There was one adult waiting for her near the stage – an older woman with light blue hair – but everyone else seemed to be under the age of fourteen.

 

A dark-skinned young teen with orange hair noticed her first, but he didn't say anything to his companions. He simply stared, then typed something into his computer. Music started playing, and she braced herself again with another breath.

 

The mayor hurried up to the podium as everyone abandoned their conversations and turned towards the stage, and she hung back by the side of the courtyard, waiting to be acknowledged.

 

“Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to a very special ceremony! Today we welcome into Lazytown a new town gardener! Let's give a warm welcome to Daisy Greenthumb!”

 

The mayor gestured for her to come up on stage, and she obliged with a nod, smiling at the tiny crowd even though she felt awkward being at the center of attention.

 

Deep down below the town square, in an old refurbished bunker, Robbie Rotten jumped up from his nap at the sound of cheering from his loudspeakers.

 

“What in the world is going on up there?” he shouted, shoving off his blanket and stomping over to his periscope. “It's not even noon and here they are, trying to ruin my nap!”

 

He bent over and squinted into the lens, growling in irritation as he spun around, trying to find the source of the cheering. He finally found it in town square, where all those little Lazytown brats and Bessie and the mayor were having some sort of...what were they having?

 

“ _Let's give a warm welcome to Daisy Greenthumb!”_ the mayor announced, and everyone cheered louder. He growled, glaring at the ceiling. “Who in the world is Daisy Greenthumb? Why do we need to welcome her???”

 

He vaguely recalled Pinky saying something about a new town gardener, and he remembered being grumpy about it for an hour before he fell asleep and forgot the whole affair. He retched, imagining some stodgy old lady like Bessie wandering about and planting flowers everywhere.

 

“Well, let's see what I'm up against, anyway. If she's not some flower-loving nanny, she's bound to be an overactive jumping bean just like Sportakook and the rest of them!”

 

He bent back over to focus his attention on the goings-on above, and he saw a young, twenty-something woman with fiery red curls take to the stage, waving awkwardly at the crowd. Her bright green eyes looked shy as the townsfolk cheered for her, but she straightened her back and marched determinedly over to the podium when the mayor asked her to say something about herself.

 

A strange, tingling sort of warmth dripped into his stomach as the young woman tucked a lock of hair into the green bandanna tied around her head like a makeshift headband. She cleared her throat and looked out over the small crowd, then leaned towards the microphone.

 

“ _Hi, I'm Daisy Greenthumb, and as you've just heard, I'm your new town gardener. Um, let's see...I graduated from Busy City University, and I've had my landscaping license for two years now. But I got my minor in photography just as a side thing, you know. Um...I was born in Teeny Township and lived there most of my life before moving to Busy City for college.”_

 

Her voice was low and gentle, and oddly soothing. Robbie wasn't sure what to make of her. The way she talked didn't annoy him like the kids' voices did, nor did it rub him the wrong way like the other adults did when they spoke to him. Granted, she was still talking about boring stuff, so he couldn't help but be annoyed, but it wasn't nearly the reaction he had to Pink Girl and Sportaflop when they first came to town.

 

“ _Um, let's see...something else about me..._ ”

 

“ _Ooh! What's your favorite color?”_ Candy Boy shouted from the crowd.

 

She actually laughed and smiled a genuine smile at the crowd, and Robbie felt an odd hotness rising up his neck to his cheeks. “ _Everyone thinks my favorite color is green because of my name, and don't get me wrong, I really like green, but my all time favorite color has to be purple._ ”

 

He harrumphed as he adjusted the periscope. “Well, at least she has some good taste. Purple _is_ the best color.”

 

“ _My favorite color is red!_ ” Candy Boy called out, and the gardener smiled to herself as his friends shooshed him.

 

“ _I'll have to remember that,_ ” she said. “ _Uh...let me think...sorry, I didn't know I was going to have to do this today._ ”

 

“ _What's your favorite food?”_ Poodle asked, adjusting his headphones.

 

“Probably some sort of sportscandy,” the villain grumbled to himself, folding his arms and looking away from the periscope.

 

“ _I'm actually really fond of ice cream._ ”

 

Robbie gasped and looked back into the scope, drumming his fingers on the side. So...she liked ice cream too? Well, this was getting interesting.

 

“ _Do you like to play sports?”_ Pink Girl asked with a big smile. The young woman's smile faltered, but she rallied and shrugged.

 

“ _I suppose sometimes. But I haven't been on a team in nearly a decade, so...if we do end up playing sports together, take it easy on me._ ”

 

“Oh,” Robbie grumbled, his shoulders sagging in disappointment. “I knew this was too good to be true...but still...” He glanced towards his disguises. “Perhaps I can still convince her to be lazy!”

 

“ _Were there any other questions?”_ He looked back towards the scope and watched the townsfolk glance at each other, shrugging their shoulders. “ _I'll take that as a no. Well, that's just about it for things about me. Mayor? Back to you?”_

 

“Oh yes, yes, of course. Well, I do believe Ms. Busybody had a speech planned next, and – Sportacus! Hello!”

 

Daisy looked up in time to see a man dressed in a blue sports outfit do a triple flip over the dividing wall, and he landed perfectly on his feet. He struck a pose, his shoulders squared proudly as the children called his name and flocked around him. The man greeted all the kids with a fond gleam in his eyes, pleasant laughter tumbling from his lips. But then he caught sight of her and did two cartwheels and a forward flip to land on the stage, and he held out his hand to her, his teeth gleaming bright white in the morning sun.

 

She couldn't help but stare at the way he moved, at the perfect execution of every flip and twist and cartwheel he made. Where in the world had this man come from, and how did he manage to do all these stunts?

 

“Are you Daisy Greenthumb?” he asked her. He spoke with some sort of European accent, which she found rather endearing; she took his hand. His grip was strong and firm, and she looked up into his shocking blue eyes, wondering how in the world he knew her name. Had he heard it from the mayor before she arrived, or had he been lingering out of sight before breaking out the gymnastics to get to the town square?

 

“Yes, that's me,” she confirmed, and shook his hand quickly before letting go. “And you're...sorry, what was your name again?”

 

“Sportacus,” he said, smiling benignly at her. She took in his features with slightly downcast eyes; he had curly dark blonde hair tucked neatly into a floppy blue hat (the kind a gnome or an elf out of a really old fairytale book might wear), those shocking blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a pencil-thin mustache that stuck out from his face. She also realized he was wearing swimming goggles over his hat.

 

“Oh, Sportacus, I'm so glad you're here!” the mayor called, rushing forward to her side. “Ms. Greenthumb, this is our town superhero – Number Ten to be exact! He lives in an airship above Lazytown and watches over our community. He's always at the ready if someone needs help, and I daresay, our town has never been safer now that Sportacus is here.”

 

Sportacus laughed again, a slightly shy gleam in his eyes. She thought he might even be blushing. “I'm not a superhero, Ms. Greenthumb, just a slightly above-average hero.”

 

“Oh, you can call me Daisy,” she insisted.

 

He smiled and chuckled again. “I'll do that. And you can call me Sportacus!”

 

She nodded and held out her hand again despite the fact that they had already shaken. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Sportacus. Where are you from?”

 

“I'm from an island in the North Sea,” he said, his hands on his hips. “All the superheros who came before me were from there.”

 

“That would explain the accent,” she said. “Well, I think someone named Bessie was supposed to do a speech or something?”

 

But music was already blaring from the speakers above their heads, and the kids rushed out into the middle of the square, ready to dance. She smiled slightly, moving off the stage so she could watch from the sidelines. The smallest boy there (the one who had asked about her favorite color) rushed over to her, a lollipop in his hand.

 

“It's so cool to have a new person in Lazytown! Man, things have gotten so neat since Stephanie and Sportacus came here!”

 

“Really?” she asked him, leaning against a wall. “That is neat. So...um...”

 

She looked at him expectantly, and he caught on with a chuckle. “My name is Ziggy, and I like candy!”

 

“I like candy too!” she said, smiling at him. “But you should never eat too much candy. It'll make you sick.”

 

He sighed. “I know. Sportacus always says that too. Did you see his super cool moves today? Like _whoosh_ and _shwing_ and _bing-bang-boom_ , he's on the stage in six seconds flat! Man, Lazytown is so lucky to have a superhero like him!”

 

“I'll bet.” She glanced around the party and saw that Sportacus was dancing with the other kids, flipping and jumping around to the beat of the music. “Can you tell me more about Sportacus? Does he always move around like that?” She glanced up at the sky, and she noted a dark blue blob floating serenely above the town. “And does he really live up in an airship?

 

“Oh man, does he move! It's so cool!” Perhaps she had asked the wrong person about this mysterious athletic man; it was clear that Ziggy held Sportacus in very high regard. “Like just the other day, we were all playing catch, right? And Robbie Rotten got the ball and threw it up into a tree, and-”

 

“Whoa, hold up, which one is Robbie?”

 

Ziggy glanced back at the group of dancing kids. “Oh! No, no, Robbie's not here. He's an adult like you. He's tall, and he sneaks around a lot. He's always up to something!”

 

“And he threw your ball up into a tree? On purpose?”

 

Ziggy nodded firmly, frowning for a moment. But then he brightened. “Once Robbie left, Stephanie went to get a ladder to get the ball, and she almost fell off. But then Sportacus showed up and caught her and the ladder! It was so cool! I wish you could have seen it!”

 

She saw the pink-haired girl approaching, a friendly smile on her face. “Hey, Ms. Greenthumb! The other kids and I were wondering if you want to dance with us!”

 

“Uh...” She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. “I really don't dance in front of other people. And please, the name's Daisy, sweetheart.”

 

The girl frowned. “Really?”

 

Daisy sighed. “Dancing in front of other people makes me uncomfortable.”

 

“Oh,” she said, sounding dejected. Daisy glanced at the crowd, the awkwardness of the moment palpable in the air.

 

“But you like sports, right?”

 

It seemed the girl had rallied, and Daisy managed a smile, nodding slightly. “I like them alright.”

 

“Cool! Then we should play a game soon!”

 

“Maybe Sportacus could join too, huh? I was just telling her about how he saved you the other day!”

 

Daisy smiled at Ziggy, and the girl perked up. “Yeah, Sportacus is always saving people! And he loves to play sports with us.”

 

She tilted her head. “It's Stephanie, right?”

 

The pink girl smiled, nodding her head enthusiastically. “I'm Stephanie Meanswell, the mayor's niece. Pleased to meet you.” And she held out her hand, a kind smile lighting up her eyes. Daisy couldn't help but smile back, and she shook her hand firmly, charmed at the girl's sweetness.

 

“So, Stephanie...who is this Robbie guy Ziggy told me about?”

 

Ziggy sighed, and the pink-haired girl slumped slightly. “He's...it's just that whenever we see him, he's always in a bad mood. He's always trying to make us be lazy, and he always tries to run Sportacus out of town.”

 

She frowned, her eyes widening in surprise. “What? Seriously?”

 

“We haven't seen him in a few days, so I guess keep an eye out. It seems like Robbie's always up to no good.”

 

“Ziggy says he threw one of your balls up into a tree.”

 

Stephanie huffed. “He said we were being too loud, and when the ball bounced his way, he threw it in a tree.”

 

“Well, that was rude,” she said, her frown deepening. “Where does this guy live, anyway?”

 

Stephanie and Ziggy looked at each other, then back to her. “We're not sure?” Stephanie said uncertainly. “I don't really know where his house is.”

 

“He always comes from Lazy Park,” Ziggy added, pointing her in the right direction. She looked and sighed when she realized where he was directing her.

 

Robbie apparently lived right behind her house.

 

“Well...I'll have to keep an eye out for my new neighbor,” she said with a sigh, and turned back to the kids. “Would you mind introducing me to the rest of the kids here? So I know who's who?”

 

The task seemed to delight the two of them, and she followed dutifully behind them out to the dance floor, meeting Pixel, the dark-skinned teen who had been handling the music, Trixie, a rambunctious tomboy who regaled her with tales of her antics, and Stingy, who hardly seemed interested in her beyond what she possessed, which was slightly unnerving coming from a child.

 

She was also introduced to Bessie Busybody, the mayor's secretary. Bessie simpered and tittered over the fact that they had someone so young to tend to the plants now; Daisy got the impression that Bessie enjoyed gossip more than she should.

 

“You know Milford has been having _such_ a hard time keeping up with everything to do in Lazytown!” she twittered, and Daisy nodded along out of politeness. “Why, if it weren't for Sportacus, I don't know where we'd be. Oh, that man...he's really very handsome, dear, and so polite! And he's so good with kids, and that accent! Why, if I were just a few years younger...”

 

Daisy smiled, but it slid off of her face the moment Bessie looked away.

 

“ _Oh, look at him dance, Daisy! You should go join him! I bet he'd love to dance with you.”_

 

“Look at him dance! Meh-meh-meh-meh-meh!” Robbie spat, pacing in front of his periscope. He had to do something! He couldn't stand the thought of those annoying kids besmirching his name, and the thought of Daisy dancing with Sportacus made him feel like worms were crawling around in his stomach. He just had to do something! He had to get to her before it was too late, before any more accusations were flung his way.

 

With a growl, he shoved his periscope back up and made for the exit of his lair, determined to march on up there and introduce himself properly. Why he felt compelled to do this when he'd rather be watching TV or eating cake was beyond him, but there was no denying this need anymore. He felt like his body was covered in an itch that couldn't be scratched, so he shoved the door to his lair open, the heavy door of the little silo creaking as he pushed with all his might; he set his sights on the town square, eyes narrowed maliciously.

 

And thither he went, hellbent on meeting this Daisy in person so he could salvage his reputation. He didn't dare ponder why he cared about this so much. Maybe it was the possibility of having a new person in Lazytown who wasn't a dancing ballerina or an overactive sports star. Maybe he had heard his fill of the locals saying rude things about him.

 

Maybe he just wanted to be _liked_ for once, and he saw this as he only chance.

 

So he stomped through Lazy Park, following the annoying sound of music blasting from the town square.

 

“Ms. Busybody, I really don't dance in front of other people,” Daisy said firmly, crossing her arms in her discomfort. The party was getting louder, and it seemed her usual habit of sticking to the sidelines was about to be sabotaged.

 

“Oh, pish-posh, Sportacus could make any dancer look good! You won't look foolish, my dear, just go dance! Be free! Enjoy the experience of having such a strong man as a dance partner! You can do it!”

 

Daisy shook her head subconsciously, taking a step back. “Sportacus seems like a very nice person, but I don't like dancing in front of people. It's too uncomfortable for me.”

 

“Well, there's no time like the present to face those fears! I guarantee, no one will judge you, and it would make the children so happy! Having another young person to play and dance with them, who isn't some rotten recluse with nothing better to do than scheme. Ugh, just the thought of that man makes my skin crawl. I wish Milford would ban him from the town.”

 

She clutched her arms tighter, briefly closing her eyes against all the noise around her. The music pounded in her ears, and she felt like a million eyes were watching her. Her vision swam for a brief moment, and the space around her pressed against her body, and the air was too hot –

 

“Ms. Busybody, I'll be right back. I forgot something back at home. I'll be right back!”

 

And before anyone could protest, she rushed away, taking deep breaths, furiously pounding the pavement back towards her house, hoping no one would be too upset if she stepped away for a moment.

 

She was so caught up in trying to get away from all the noise that she didn't see the purple striped blur moving towards her until she collided with it, and found herself flat on her back, staring up at a pair of piercing gray eyes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duh! Next chapter is the meeting!


	3. Bloody Nose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daisy meets Robbie. What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very self-indulgent. I'm sorry.
> 
> P.S. Cursing starts here.

The first realization that came to her was that the back of her head was throbbing, and she groaned, working a hand under her head so she could rub at the sore spot. Whoever she had run into moaned as well, and she let her gaze wander over the rest of their face.

 

A man with dark, slicked-back hair rubbed his nose furiously, his eyes squinting in pain, and she made to stand so she wouldn't be awkwardly caught beneath him. The man rolled off of her, sitting up quickly as he shook his head of the collision. He was tall, and willowy in build, and the purple blur she had seen right before impact was his outfit – a small vest and extremely high-waisted pants done in the same purple and maroon stripes, with a long-sleeved navy shirt underneath. The sleeves ended in white cuffs, and the man sported white spats over black dress shoes. His strong, square jaw flexed experimentally and his hand came up to his nose; she finally realized blood was slowly gushing from his nostrils.

 

He gasped in surprise (and probably pain), and she gasped too.

 

“Oh god,” she said without thinking. “Oh god, I'm so so sorry! Oh god, oh god...um...just hold on, okay?”

 

She glanced down at her clothes, and hastily made the decision to shove off the straps of her overalls and pull off her shirt. She knelt beside him and quickly shoved the fabric onto his nose, hoping none of the blood got on his outfit. He tugged his hand out from under the makeshift bandage, staring in apparent morbid fascination at the blood covering his fingers. He looked at her with panic in his eyes, but she shushed him, her heart racing in her own panic.

 

“Okay, let's just keep calm. Goddamn it, I can't remember what to do for nosebleeds. _Fuck_...sorry, I don't know how you feel about cursing...” She took a deep breath. “Sorry, excuse my language. I think you're supposed to lean forward, and I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do! Do you know much about nosebleeds?”

 

He shook his head, and she took another deep breath.

 

“Alright, let's get you to my house. I've got a medical emergency manual somewhere in my books, and in the meantime, you can lean over my sink. I'll even get you a few more rags if you need them. Sound good?”

 

“I don' hah mush choish, do I?” His voice came out nasally and thick, his tone morose and resigned. But she shook her head, her eyes finding a trickle of blood on his fingers about to touch down on his pristine white cuffs.

 

“I won't blame you if you want to deal with this yourself,” she said with a sigh, and she crouched down and hovered her hand over his wrist. “You're about to get blood on your cuffs. Can I...?”

 

His eyes followed hers down to his sleeves, and he narrowed his eyes at his fingers as if they had offended him; but finally he nodded, allowing her to take some excess shirt and gently wipe his hand.

 

“I just wanted you to know that I have the tools to help you at my house,” she continued. “Come on, dude, throw me a bone on this one. At least let me help you get that nosebleed under control.”

 

The throb of pain pulsating through Robbie's nose and forehead was nothing to the pain of embarrassment wriggling in his insides. How could he have made himself look the fool in front of the one person he was determined to impress? She must think he was a raging idiot, not paying attention to where he was going. How could he go with her and risk further embarrassment when all he wanted to do was retreat to his lair and sulk?

 

But she had cursed.

 

She had used rotten language in her panic, and somehow this made him feel better about the situation. Not since his youth hanging around the Mayhemtown Gang had he heard language like that. The adults in Lazytown kept themselves prim and proper around all the little brats, and he could never imagine Sportakook using vulgar words.

 

But she had. And despite the fact that he had overheard the children telling her about him, she hadn't matched his face to his name just yet.

 

He couldn't recall a time in his life when he felt like this, how it made his skin burn when she took his wrist to clean him. His ears felt too hot, and his stomach was doing somersaults as he attempted to take better stock of the situation and salvage what scraps of his previous plan he had left.

 

It didn't help that he couldn't stop staring at her bare shoulders and exposed stomach. He pointedly looked away at the ground before she caught him gawking, but he had spotted freckles scattered across her cheeks and shoulders and just a few trickling down her chest towards her –

 

What was wrong with him? Why was he suddenly having all these weird and crazy thoughts? Why was he noticing all these things about her?

 

Why did he suddenly wonder what it would be like to touch her skin?

 

With a jolt, he realized he should probably give her an answer. He couldn't really think of a good excuse to get away, and it wasn't like he knew any better than she did how to fix a nosebleed.

 

“Well, I suhpos you cah try.”

 

“Great!” she responded, a bright smile breaking out across her face. He could feel his cheeks getting warm, so he pressed her shirt harder to his nose in an effort to hide his reddening face. She jumped to her feet and held out her hand, and after a moment of hesitation, he took her proffered hand and allowed her to pull him upright to standing (which, he noted, she managed with ease). She was a head shorter than him, shorter than Sportacus even, so if she were to get closer, her head could nestle comfortably under his chin–

 

Ugh, he had to stop entertaining these wild thoughts! Was he sick? Did he not have enough cake today? He needed to get himself under control! And besides, he was a villain – the bad guy! And he had just slammed her flat on her back and conked his face on the pavement. Doubt crept in as the last vestiges of his plan faded into dust: she'd never want to talk to him again after this, considering how much of a klutz he had made himself out to be.

 

But she was extending her kindness to him for now, what with her smiles and sweet words, so he took that as a small comfort in this hellscape of embarrassment.

 

Daisy gave him another smile to reassure him, and she silently bid him to follow her back to her house, which was thankfully just around the corner. She glanced back at him every once and a while, a pool of guilt and embarrassment gathering in her stomach as she saw him hunched over her shirt, which by now was stained dark red. She sighed, pulling out her key to unlock the door, and once inside she hastily shoved a few boxes out of the way so he could have a clear path to the kitchen.

 

“Please excuse the mess, I've lived here all of four hours. Kitchen's this way.”

 

She pointed out the sink once he crossed the threshold to the kitchen, and he rushed to it, gingerly removing her shirt from his nose once he was bent over the drain. Blood continued to issue from his nostrils, so he hastily put the makeshift rag back on his injury, groaning in apparent frustration.

 

“Again...I'm really sorry. I'm going to go find that manual.”

 

She rushed out of the room before she said anything stupid; so far she had made an absolute mess of first introductions with this guy. He must hate her by now, seeing as she might have broken his nose in her absentmindedness, and had probably made him very uncomfortable in her hasty decision to give him her shirt as a rag, thus disrobing in front of him – entirely inappropriate – and she didn't even have the knowledge to help him. Yes, this was shaping up to be an absolutely lovely day, she thought with a grimace.

 

And she hadn't forgotten that technically she was supposed to be right back to that stupid party they had decided to throw her. But they could shove any judgments where the sun don't shine, because she had a man in her house who possibly was suffering from a broken nose and she had to make this right.

 

The manual was, of course, at the very bottom of her box of books, but she pulled the wretched thing from its confinement and flipped hastily through it to the page on nosebleeds. “Okay, it says to pinch your nose!” she called out to her guest, hurrying back to the kitchen. The man was still leaning over her sink, she noted with relief (the text said that leaning forward was the best course of action), and she leaned against the counter beside him. “It says to pinch the soft part of your nose for at least ten to fifteen minutes, and to keep leaning forward, and to breathe through your mouth. That should stop the bleeding. Oh, and if you have any blood in your mouth, you should spit it out.”

 

He nodded and did as she told him, and the soft sound of his breathing filled the silence between them.

 

“I know I probably should have asked earlier, but what's your name? I'm Daisy Greenthumb, by the way. Your new town gardener.”

 

She held out her hand, and he stared at it like it might bite him before gingerly taking it and giving it a limp shake.

 

“Come on, dude, I'm not gonna bite you, sheesh.” She took his hand again, and he gave her a better handshake that time. “And your name is?”

 

“Ab Robbie Raw-in.”

 

“Robbie?” she repeated, and he nodded. She couldn't help but smile. “I've always liked that name.”

 

He stared at her for a moment, then blinked several times to make sure he wasn't dreaming or hearing things. Hadn't she just heard the kids saying that he was mean and grumpy and lazy? Had she not matched his face to his description?

 

Maybe she didn't care what the kids said and wanted to be his friend anyway?

 

He mentally shook his head; she definitely just hadn't made the connection yet. The kids had only said that he was tall and he snuck around a lot (both of which were technically true), but she didn't know his face. If she did, he doubted he would be as welcome in her house as he was just now.

 

Her smile faded, and his grip on the counter tightened. She was making the connection. She had finally realized that the person she had invited into her home was the same mean, grumpy, lazy recluse everyone had warned her about. He could feel his spirits sinking, and he looked away, closing his eyes as he braced himself for her anger.

 

“I just realized I haven't put on a shirt. Let me go do that.”

 

He opened one eye, watching with bated breath as she rushed away towards her bedroom. He couldn't believe his luck, and he let out the breath he was holding, his shoulders slumping as he relaxed. She hadn't realized yet...but what would happen when she did? She'd understand eventually what a rotten villain he was, and then what? She wouldn't smile at him ever again, never say nice things to him ever again.

 

She'd never touch him so tenderly and gently ever again.

 

Why did that matter? He'd always been alone, and he'd always be alone, forever and ever! He was Robbie Rotten, the worst villain in the world, master of disguise and laziest man in town. He didn't need friends! He wouldn't miss this girl when she recognized him for who he was! She was just another annoyance sent to plague him and make Lazytown noisy! He wouldn't be friends with her even if she asked!

 

“How's the nose?”

 

He nearly shrieked as her voice jolted him out of his thoughts, and he did jump a little in surprise. “Sorry!” she said, her fingers brushing ever so gently against his shoulder. He shivered, that weird, warm feeling sliding into his stomach again. “I didn't mean to scare you!”

 

“Is ah-kay.” He slowly pulled his hand away from his nose, and it seemed like the nosebleed had ceased. “Ah, now that's more like it!”

 

She breathed a sigh of relief, taking note of his odd accent that hadn't come through with the nosebleed. She busied herself adjusting the hem of her shirt in her nervousness, then forced herself to look up into his eyes. “Hey, just to be clear...I...I really feel bad about this still. Can I make this up to you somehow? I like to cook, and I can make you something. Maybe? How can I make this better?”

 

He stared at her with a blank expression until his eyebrows furrowed and his lips parted ever so slightly. She felt as if his gray eyes were boring into her, and she quickly looked away, feeling less confident in her offer. “Or maybe not. I'm not going to force my food on you, I just...” She sighed in frustration. “You know what, nevermind.”

 

“You'd really make something for me?”

 

She looked back at him, and he looked just as shy and sheepish as she felt. “Yes, of course. I wouldn't be offering if I wasn't sure. Did you have something in mind?”

 

His nose started twitching, and out of the corner of her eye, she noted his fidgeting fingers. “Could you...make a cake?”

 

She smiled, relief washing over her like a wave. “What's your favorite flavor?”

 

He brightened, and the twitching in his nose intensified. “Chocolate! Can you make it chocolate?”

 

A laugh erupted from her lips, and she nodded eagerly, hands planted firmly on her hips. “Absolutely! Chocolate icing too?”

 

“Hmm...” He tapped his chin, his gray eyes twinkling as he pondered the question. “Vanilla icing, if you please.”

 

“Alright,” she agreed, filing that information away. “And how can I reach you once it's done? It'll take me about a day to get all my kitchen stuff unpacked, and I need to go to the store, but is there a number I can call you at?”

 

He blinked several times again. “You...no one ever calls me...”

 

For some reason, a pang of sadness pierced her at those words. “Well, how else am I supposed to find you? Carrier pigeon? Signal flare? Or should I just ask the residents of Lazytown where you live?”

 

He coughed, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “No, no, no, besides, no one knows where I live anyway...”

 

“Do you have a telephone?”

 

“Yes, of course!” he insisted, looking slightly offended. “I'm not _that_ reclusive – I mean...yes, I do.”

 

“It's fine if you don't want to give me your number, I understand completely. But if that's the case, then we need to have a prearranged meeting time and place. Would you prefer that?”

 

He rubbed his chin for a moment, then shook his head. “Nah, too much work.”

 

“Then may I please have your phone number?” she asked wearily. He stared at her in silence for what seemed like an eternity before a smile touched his lips, spreading over his features like the dawn over a darkened world.

 

“I suppose, if it's the easiest way,” he replied finally, his smile shifting into more of a smirk. She smiled in return, and pulled out her phone, drawing up her contact list. After confirming the correct spelling of his first name, she paused.

 

“And what was your last name again? I didn't quite catch it.”

 

He glanced off to the side, then cleared his throat. “Rotten,” he said softly, and she nodded, typing that up in her phone.

 

“Spelled like I think it's spelled?” A quick nod was all the confirmation she needed. “And now your number.”

 

“Five-five-five...one-one-one-eight,” he said slowly, and she saved him in her contacts and slipped her phone back in her pocket.

 

“Well then,” she said, fiddling with the straps of her overalls, “is your nose better, you think?”

 

His eyes crossed as he examined his nose, gingerly prodding it this way and that before he chuckled, looking rather pleased with himself. Another smile touched her lips before she could stop it, but she sighed, glancing out the window.

 

“I have to get back to that party,” she said, shaking her head at the very thought. “I'd really rather not go back, but...” She gave up and shrugged, then looked back to him. He was frowning at her. “What?”

 

“You don't like parties?”

 

“Not with people I don't know. I expected upon accepting this job that I would get a handshake, sign some papers and get a tour of the town. Not have to introduce myself in front of a crowd or socialize with strangers. That sort of thing is the stuff of nightmares for me. I just...I don't...sorry, I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems.”

 

His nose began to twitch again, but he remained silent, staring around at the walls and ceiling. “So, um...” She wasn't sure how to break the awkward silence. “Do you...want to walk with me to the party? Or maybe join in? The mayor said it was 'the people of Lazytown' putting this on, so I imagine if you live in Lazytown proper, you are technically included.”

 

He pondered the invite for a moment, then shook his head. “Too much noise. I think I'll go home.”

 

“That's fine. Wish I could do the same,” she said, sighing. “Alright, the sooner I get back, the sooner it'll be over. No time like the present.”

 

Robbie crossed his arms and nodded stiffly, trying desperately to tamp down the disappointment sitting in his chest like a dumbbell. He hadn't hoped she would forget about the party, he told himself firmly. He really wanted to go home and take a nap or watch TV, not spend a little more time getting to know this new addition to the town. He didn't want to try and make friends. He didn't have friends and he didn't need any! So there!

 

She gestured for him to precede him out the door, and he shuffled out in front of her, wincing at the harsh light of day. It was still far too early, and the interruption to his daily sleep-in was tugging at his energy. Deep deep down in his heart of hearts, he wanted to go with her and at least watch the goings-on from the sidelines. But he was so tired! And he was getting hungry!

 

He would eat some cake and take a nap when he got back home, he decided, but first, perhaps he could at least start on a new plan to make Daisy Greenthumb as lazy as he.

 

“I suppose I can walk you back to the party,” he said gruffly, and he could feel his cheeks getting hot again as she smiled up at him.

 

“Great! I'd appreciate the company.” She started back towards town center, walking very slowly, he noted. It seemed she was in no hurry to get back to the gathering – she had mentioned that the presence of so many strangers made her uncomfortable.

 

Or maybe she was drawing out their conversation to spend more time with him?

 

Bah, he told himself, that's ridiculous. She just doesn't want to be back with all the noise and annoying kids.

 

“So...can you tell me more about...I think her name is Bessie?”

 

Robbie shook his head of his musings and concentrated on her voice. “Oh, Bessie? Hm...well, she's not as noisy as the kids...and she really likes to gossip. Most of the time she's on her telephone, chatting away with one of her fifty friends.”

 

He noticed her shaking her head, and his eyebrows shot up in interest. “Well...” she asked slowly, “is she always so...insistent?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Daisy sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, and he narrowed his eyes, intrigued now. “Bessie kept insisting that I dance with the kids and with...Sportacus? Is that his name?”

 

He frowned at the mention of that sporty blue jumping bean, but he held his tongue, listening carefully for any valuable information. “Yes, Sportakook – I mean, Sportacus is his name.”

 

“Sportakook?” she repeated with a chuckle, and he began fidgeting. “Why do you call him that?”

 

He pointedly glanced away, staring up at the bright blue sky. He even began whistling, hoping she wouldn't press the subject. “You were saying about Bessie?”

 

Her eyebrows lowered in suspicion for a moment, but then she shrugged and continued. “Well, she kept trying to get me to dance and wouldn't take no for an answer. Is it because I'm new? Does she do this to everyone? It was just...it was like I was saying no to a brick wall. I'm sure I'm being way too quick to judge her, but just...”

 

She shook her head. “Nevermind. I hope this was just a one-off thing. I just don't dance in front of other people.”

 

“You don't like to dance?”

 

She stared up at him, quiet for a moment as she searched his face. As if she were sizing him up, deciding whether or not he was trustworthy. He offered her a smile, hoping she would answer him truthfully. The more information he had on her, the better he would know how to convert her to his side.

 

“I actually love to dance,” she said finally. “Just not at parties full of strangers. I'm not sure if Stella – no, Stephanie – would understand that, but I told her dancing in front of other people makes me uncomfortable, which is entirely true. But I absolutely love to dance on my own.”

 

He was disappointed that she wasn't as lazy as she could be, but the information she had entrusted with him was valuable, especially since it seemed she didn't want the pink ballerina to know. He would have to think on that and see if he could use it against the overactive girl and Sportaflop at some point.

 

His disappointment grew as he saw the town square come into view (still packed with those noisy kids and the elf), but he quickly told himself that he wasn't disappointed to see her go, just that he...well...he was very tired and hungry and he would be much happier once he was back at home in his comfy orange chair without kids or elves or weird feelings to bother him.

 

“By the way,” she said softly, slowing to a halt. He looked at her sidelong, trying to ignore the crowd of people milling about not too far away. It was his job to eavesdrop, not theirs. “When's a good time to call you? I don't know anything about your schedule, where you work and whatnot. So...when's a good time?”

 

“Mid-afternoon,” he said firmly. “I am not a morning person.”

 

She laughed, and he found himself smiling a little. Something about her laughter was pleasant to listen to, but he promptly reminded himself that he had to reserve judgment on her until he knew her a little better. She could be a hindrance to his plans, or she could be a help. She might even be a friend, if he was lucky.

 

No! he told himself again. Robbie Rotten doesn't do friends!

 

He sighed to himself, and she chuckled again, shaking him from his strange thoughts. “I'm not really a morning person either. But I'm going to have to become one really quickly, because there's no way I'll be able to get everything done if I start when I usually wake up. But that's neither here nor there. Mid-afternoon it is, Mr. Rotten.”

 

“Ugh, only the mayor calls me that,” he protested, folding his arms across his chest. “Please, just call me Robbie.”

 

“Deal,” she said simply, and he raised an eyebrow at her, trying not to think about how her cocky smile made him feel nervous and way too warm. “Just as long as you promise to not call me Ms. Greenthumb. My name is Daisy.”

 

“Of course,” he assured her with a smirk. “So, when can I expect that cake?”

 

Her smile widened, and he felt his nose beginning to twitch. This was by far the most confusing day he'd ever experienced. “Tomorrow afternoon if you're lucky,” she replied simply, and he held back a sigh. “But I'll call you when it's ready, okay?”

 

“Okay,” he repeated, and held out his hand for her. “Well, it was lovely to make your acquaintance, _Daisy_.”

 

“The pleasure was all mine, _Robbie_ ,” she said with a smile, and she took his hand and gave it a firm shake. He could feel callouses on her hand, but it was still rather soft and warm, and holding her hand made those very weird feelings flutter about in his stomach.

 

Oh, what did her hands matter? He had to stop thinking like some...like some foolish little schoolboy! This was really getting ridiculous. He had to get home and eat some cake before he did something truly crazy.

 

Like run after her as she waved goodbye, and tell her that he had changed his mind and wanted to spend the rest of the party with her.

 

No no no no no!!! He turned firmly on his heel before his body took him any closer to town square, and he marched determinedly back to his lair and plopped himself onto his chair with a huge slice of cake and gobbled the thing down before he could think any more about Daisy Greenthumb and her nice smile and her gentle words and the way she said his name.

 

“Oh, _there_ you are! We've been waiting for nearly half an hour!”

 

Daisy sighed as Bessie rushed up to her, followed quickly by the mayor and Sportacus and Stephanie. She could see Ziggy and the other kids hanging back, but from the looks of it, everyone was listening in on their conversation.

 

“We were starting to get worried, dear! Whatever in the world were you doing talking to that horrid man? Was he bothering you? I can get Milford to get him to stop, or maybe Sportacus could speak to him–“

 

“No, it's fine. I ran into him.”

 

The mayor raised his eyebrows, seemingly intrigued. “He actually introduced himself? Well, that's a first.”

 

“No, no, I _ran into him_. Literally. Poor guy had blood gushing from his nose for nearly twenty minutes, so I took him to my house and we got it cleared up. I think he'll be alright.” She rubbed the back of her head and glanced back the way she came, but Robbie was already gone.

 

“Was he angry at you? He's known to have quite the temper on him, you know.”

 

She looked back to Bessie, shaking her head. “No, I don't think so. And besides, I promised to make it up to him.”

 

Sportacus frowned. “Did he make you sign a contract ? Or make a deal with you?”  
  
“What? No, I offered.” She stared at the three of them, confused as to why they were all so concerned about her encounter with Robbie. What was worth getting so worked up about?

 

And then she remembered.

 

_Robbie's an adult like you. He's tall, and he sneaks around a lot. He's always up to something! He's always trying to make us be lazy, and he always tries to run Sportacus out of town._

 

She took a deep breath to steady herself. “I've got to make a cake.”

 


	4. It's a Piece of Cake to Bake a Pretty Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...if the way is hazy  
> You gotta do the cooking by the book  
> You know you can't be lazy!
> 
> A grocery run, a conversation with Ziggy, and then we'll have a cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that I've got Cooking by the Book stuck in your head (you're welcome), I want to thank FosterCake for reviewing. Thank you again for your kind words!

“And finally, all the trees need trimming, especially those ones over there in the residential area,” the mayor finished, and Daisy shielded her eyes from the bright afternoon sun to look at where he was pointing. “So, um, how would you like to tackle this?”

 

She glanced back over the list she had made. “Well, I think the sportsfield needs help first. I'll weed that tomorrow and make some rounds to see about the trees. I figure most of that can wait a bit until all the weeds and overgrowth is taken care of. And you said the kids look after their own community garden?”

 

“Oh yes, they love to work in their gardens! Such a great, wholesome activity for the children to partake in, don't you think?”

 

“I think it's wonderful,” she said with a smile. “It's good to let them take responsibility like that. But anyway, I'll get to the residential area by the end of the week.”

 

“Excellent! Well, I believe that's all I have for today! Why don't you take the rest of the day off and get your things settled in, hm?”

 

“Thank you, mayor!” She said, and she made to leave, but he asked her to wait.

 

“About Robbie Rotten...” he said, his eyes downcast. She crossed her arms across her chest and waited for him to make his point. “You don't... _have_ to make him a cake if you don't want to. You said what happened was an accident, and there's really no reason for you to feel like you have to take the blame for it.”

 

“Mr. Mayor, I offered. And we already agreed to it, so that's that. I want to do this for my own peace of mind. Speaking of which, I saw a grocery store over on the next street. What time do they close?”

 

“Oh, seven o'clock sharp! You've still got time if there was something you needed.”

 

The clock had just clicked on half-past three; she nodded in thanks. “Great. I really should get going so I can get started on that cake. Do you like to bake, Mr. Mayor?”

 

“Oh, yes, I bake all the time! I'm always making cakes for Ms. Busybody. They're one of her favorite things, you know.”

 

Daisy nodded and forced a polite smile on her face. “Great! I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Mayor.”

 

“Okay, bye bye!”

 

She broke into a brisk walk, and it only took a minute before she opened the door to the shop. All was quiet as she crossed the threshold, the door closing behind her with a _ting_ from the bell. It was a rather small store, as one would expect in a small town, but she heard the familiar sound of cardboard being broken down and shelves being stocked.

 

She wandered down the aisles, searching high and low for the baking section. She passed the produce and canned food and pasta and coffee, and finally found flour and sugar.

 

“Well how about that, a new face! Hello there, stranger, welcome to Lazytown Grocery!”

 

She turned with a start towards the voice, and saw a graying, bespectacled man in his sixties striding towards her. He wore a crisp green button-down with a bright yellow bowtie, and impeccably pressed slacks. His watery blue eyes twinkled slightly as he held out his hand, and she took it with a slight smile.

 

“The name's Stanley Stocks, but you can call me Stan. What can I help you find today, miss?”

 

“I'm Daisy, and I think I just found it. I'm looking for ingredients for cake. Flour, sugar...it's all right here.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Daisy! I've gotta say, if you're going to get all that, you're going to need a cart. Let me get one for you!”

 

And he rushed away, humming to himself, and she turned back to the shelf, examining her choices on flour. She found a reasonably priced brand of all-purpose, and she had a bag of it and some sugar in her arms by the time Stan came back with her cart.

 

“Here you go!” he said, and she smiled at him again in thanks as she set her purchases in the cart. “Eggs and butter are over on the wall there.”

 

“Thank you. Do you carry cocoa powder?”

 

He led her back to the coffee aisle and pointed it out to her. “So, what's the occasion?”

 

“Hm?” She looked up from her options and frowned at him, not catching his meaning.

 

“I said what's the occasion? Is it someone's birthday?” He grinned, his eyes twinkling hopefully. “I guess that's just the first thing that comes to mind, judging from what you've got so far.”

 

Her smile was wan and tired. “Nope, just making a cake.”

 

His eyes twinkled, but then he gasped, pointing at her with a gleeful expression on his face. “Oh, oh, you're _the_ Daisy! You're the new town gardener! Bessie told us all about that. Welcome to Lazytown!”

 

He held out his hand again, and she shook it out of obligation more than anything else.

 

“I heard them setting up for a party this morning, but with the way things go around here, there's always a party now and again for birthdays and such. The mayor enjoys putting that sort of thing on for the children, you know. I suppose this morning it was more of a welcome party.”

 

She didn't answer, staring pointedly at her ingredients. “Is vanilla extract on the aisle we were just on?”

 

He nodded and led her back there. She busied herself reading labels and trying to recall her recipe, and she noted salt on the bottom shelf. It went into her basket.

 

“So how was the party?”

 

“Stan, are you bothering that poor girl?”

 

A low, soothing, feminine voice came from the mouth of the aisle, and Daisy looked up to see an older woman striding confidently towards them. Like Stan, she was in her sixties, and she carried herself with a quiet sort of dignity. This woman had an air of wisdom about her, and she offered Daisy a bright smile as she came to rest by Stan, her pale green eyes glimmering in the harsh fluorescent light of the store.

 

“No, honey bun,” the man said, looking slightly guilty. “I'm just trying to be friendly and provide some good customer service!”

 

The newcomer shook her head, looking amused and exasperated at the same time. “Sweetie, she looks like she's doing just fine on her own. There's some boxes in the back that need to be put up on top shelf. Can you do that for me, please?”

 

Stan deflated slightly, but nodded. “Alright. If you'll take care of our guest.”

 

The woman watched him leave, and guilt bubbled in Daisy's stomach. “Please, don't be mad at him. He really was just trying to be friendly.”

 

“Oh, don't worry, chickadee, I'm not mad. But I don't want you to be uncomfortable either. And you looked like you needed a break from all the questions.”

 

Daisy shook her head, crossing her arms firmly over her chest. “I'm just trying to get this done so it can be done, and I won't have to worry about it anymore.”

 

“Making a cake?”

 

She frowned, but she figured this woman liked to bake and could figure the ingredients for a cake from sight alone. “I am. And I am so sorry, where are my manners? I'm Daisy Greenthumb.”

 

A dark hand clasped hers in a firm handshake. “My name is Nehviah Stocks, and that goober you were talking to is my husband. What brings you to Lazytown?”

 

“I'm your new town gardener.”

 

Nehviah stared at her a moment, her green eyes distant as she searched her face. Daisy looked down at the floor, then back up to the woman, confused as to why she was fixated on her.

 

But then the older woman smiled, and the moment was broken. “Sorry, I thought for a moment that we've met before. But anyway, we're so glad to have you!”

 

“I'm glad to be here,” she assured her, and Nehviah nodded firmly.

 

“Whenever you're ready, we'll be at the counter to check you out.”

 

Daisy nodded in reply, and the woman's eyes glimmered with a knowing look before she turned heel and strolled down the aisle, leaving her alone to her business. It didn't take very long for her to gather the rest of the ingredients she needed for Robbie's cake, plus a few day's worth of food for herself. She would have to come back later that week for a proper food run, but for now, this was enough.

 

“Here's your receipt, and we hope to see you again soon!” Nehviah said once everything was bagged up. “Are you sure you don't need help with all that?”

 

“No, I got it,” she assured her, looping another bag onto her arm.

 

“Positive?”

 

“Got it,” she said again, and nodded goodbye. “Have a good one.”

 

“You too, chickadee, see you soon.”

 

She strolled out of the store, breathing in slowly as she pulled her arms in closer to her body, setting her sights on Lazy Park, and her new home. She started down the street confident in her ability to get all her groceries home, but halfway there, she found herself tiring, and her arms felt like they might give out.

 

“Need a hand?”

 

She glanced up and saw Sportacus come out of a perfect triple flip to land by her side, and she nearly dropped her groceries.

 

“Yeah, actually, if you would...and quick question, were you an Olympic gymnast in a past life or something?”

 

He laughed and took half her groceries. “No, but I have practiced for nearly all my life to become a superhero. I love to move!”

 

She couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. “That's really neat!” She couldn't think of much more to say, so she jerked her head towards her house. “I really appreciate the help. I've been out of shape for a while now, but once I start moving mulch around, I'll be able to handle groceries by myself, no sweat.”

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noted something flashing in the light, but when she turned to look properly, whatever had caught her attention was gone. She thought she saw a bush rustling slightly in that direction, but she figured it was a bird or a squirrel, and continued on her way.

 

Deep down underground, Robbie had awoken from his nap, and he meandered over to his periscope out of habit, and boredom. Most everyone was inside as the day came to a close, but he noticed Daisy struggling with her groceries. He zoomed in on the scene, oddly fascinated by the steely look of determination in her eyes as she started down the street, her gaze focused on her home.

 

“I wonder when she'll start on that cake?” he asked himself aloud, tapping his fingers against the periscope. His nose twitched a little, and his mouth started watering at the thought of a towering, gooey slice of his favorite confection. “Maybe I should make a slice for myself now.”

 

He turned to do that, but Sportacus' voice drew him back, and he narrowed his eyes into the lens as that blue-suited kangaroo landed perfectly at Daisy's side and offered to help her. The sight of Sportacus being such a goody-two-shoes always made him ill, but there was something about Daisy accepting his help and getting along with the hero that especially rankled his nerves.

 

“ _So, uh...you're really going to make Robbie a cake?_ ”

 

He frowned into the periscope, growling a little in irritation. How was that any of Sportaflop's business?

 

“ _Yes, I am,_ ” Daisy replied firmly. “ _I don't know why that's such a big deal. Like seriously, it's becoming a bit unnerving how everyone's fixating on this._ ”

 

“ _It's not that it's a big deal, it's just...no one's ever made a cake for Robbie before. I don't think the kids are used to it._ ”

 

He blinked rapidly, Sportacus' words ringing in his ears. _No one's ever made a cake for Robbie before._

 

Was that true? Had anyone actually made him a cake before? Now that he thought about it, he couldn't recall the last time anyone had done much of _anything_ for him. Not unless he was tricking them, of course.

 

The thought made a chill of... _loneliness_ run down his spine.

 

No no no! he reminded himself firmly. He didn't need any friends, and he wasn't lonely!

 

“ _I think it's a good thing you're doing this for Robbie,_ ” Sportacus continued, distracting him from his inner conflict. “ _I think he could use a friend like you._ ”

 

“Yeah, if he doesn't hate me for nearly breaking his nose,” she replied dryly, readjusting the bag on her arm.

 

She could see her house up ahead, but Sportacus actually slowed his pace a little, his bright blue eyes finding hers.

 

“Robbie can be...difficult sometimes, but he's not really that bad. I don't think you should worry so much about it.” His eyes twinkled, and he looked down at the ground. “You know, when you're anxious about something, your mind likes to think of the worst things that could happen. Why don't you try thinking of the best things that could happen? What would you like to happen after you make this cake for Robbie?”

 

That actually gave her pause, and she stared at her home, contemplating how truthful she wanted to be with Sportacus. He seemed trustworthy and kind and wise, though she wasn't sure if that was a facade he put on or if he truly was a good person.

 

“I haven't really thought that far ahead...I mean, the best possible outcome over this would be that Robbie and I bond over a love of cake, and we discover that we have plenty in common and become really good friends.” She paused. “I never had a lot of friends when I was younger, but as I grow older, I think that friends, really really good friends, have become the greatest highlight of living. You know?”

 

“ _Good friends are a wonderful thing!_ ” he agreed with a laugh, and Robbie growled, flipping the periscope handle up out of his way. What did they know? He didn't need friends, he didn't need companionship, and he certainly wasn't lonely!

 

He looked around his cold, dark, dripping lair and sighed. He didn't need friends. Robbie Rotten didn't do friends.

 

He looked back into the periscope.

 

“ _I know the mayor and Ms. Busybody and all the kids are worried about you...but I think you can turn this into the start of a wonderful friendship! But no matter what you decide, I'll support you all the way. Alright?_ ”

 

She quietly agreed and thanked the hero again as he left her groceries on her porch for her. And with a wave, he was flipping away into the sunset, too quickly for Robbie to bother following him.

 

He shoved the periscope away, growling in disgust. “So Sportadupe wants me and her to be friends? I knew this was all too good to be true! Of course she would take sides with that overactive sports elf!” The grumble issuing from his lips turned into a nasty growl. “Well, if Sportacus is the one behind this, I don't want anything to do with it! They can keep their ooey-gooey friendship to themselves!”

 

The _pit-pat_ of his tapping foot echoed around his lair, slipping into the gloomy corners and the unkept, spiderweb-laden beams above his head, and joined the mournful drip of a pipe he had been too lazy to fix. The _drip-drop_ echoed with the _pit-pat-pit-pat_ of his feet, the noise burrowing into his brain like a drill, and he could feel his grouchy expression wavering.

 

“Besides, I've been doing fine by myself for as long as I can remember. And I've always been bad. Once she finds that out, would she really want to be– “ here he gulped, “– _friends_ with me?” The word almost stuck in his throat, and he swallowed thickly around the lump that had formed there. “I'm a villain.” He squeezed his eyes shut, his brows furrowing in concentration. “No matter what, I have to remember that. I'm a villain,” he said firmly, but this was one message that bore repeating.

 

He growled again, his expression contorting back into a frown. “I'm a villain, and I'll always be a villain!” he shouted into the emptiness. “My whole family were villains, and this is the only life I've ever known! I'm not about to let some greenthumbed gardener change that, no matter how nice she may be!”

 

His long, clever fingers wrapped menacingly around the railing at his side, his eyes gleaming as he stared into the dark corners of his lair. “Trying to be friends is just a waste of time! There's nothing I can do to hide my past from her, not if Sportafloppy and those annoying brats are to be believed. It was a foolish plan to try and make a good first impression! Of course it failed miserably, just like everything I do...” He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. “If she asks to be my friend, well...she'll get more than she ever bargained for! I'll show her, and Sportaspot, once and for all...Robbie Rotten doesn't do friends!”

 

He cackled, the rich laughter echoing in his empty home, but he clapped his hands together and turned to make some cake, putting thoughts of friendship far from his mind.

 

…

 

The early summer day was warm and fairly humid, and although Daisy only had two cups of coffee and sheer determination to get her started so early in the morning, she was glad she had made a point to get up at sunrise to start her tasks. The earlier she was finished with this, the better, as the day promised to be much warmer later on, and she wanted to get finished with Robbie's cake today, if possible.

 

The weeds infesting the sports field were stubborn, but with grit and a few curses said under her breath, she made good headway by noon. She only had one wall left to do, but she allowed herself to take a small break and drink some water. After she finished the last wall, she would take a quick lunch break and tackle the town square next.

 

“Hey Daisy!”

 

She set down her water and looked around for the voice calling her name, and she saw Ziggy trotting towards her, a lollipop in hand.

 

“Hey Ziggy, what's up?” she asked cheerfully, patting the spot next to her on the bench, inviting him to sit with her for a minute.

 

“I just wanted to say hi!” He sat down next to her, carefully setting his lollipop beside him as if it were a precious treasure. She smiled at the thought. “We're having lunch at Pixel's house today, and I thought I'd invite you over!”

 

“Oh, that's so sweet of you!” she replied with a smile. “But I have a lot more to do, and I'm hoping I can get done before it gets too hot, you know?”

 

“Oh...” He looked disappointed. “Well, maybe next time?”

 

“Absolutely.” She smiled at him and patted his back. “I'll take a rain check on that lunch. Don't let me forget, okay?”

 

“I won't!” he shouted eagerly. “I'll remind you every day if I have to!”

 

She chuckled, her heart warmed at the words of this sweet little boy. She could already tell they would get along fine. “So what do you kids do around here? If you want to play on the sportsfield this afternoon, I'm almost finished with the weeding. Then I'll straighten up a bit, and it'll be ready for action.”

 

“Do you want to play with us on the sportsfield? We could probably play a few games of basketball or soccer.”

 

“Sorry, dude, I've got to weed the town square next.”

 

“Okay...but what about after that, huh? Surely you'll get done in time to play a game with us, right?”

 

She shook her head. “I've got to get home after I'm done today. I've got to make a cake.”

 

Ziggy's smile faded slowly, and he looked down at the ground. “For Robbie?”

 

“Yes,” she replied. He didn't respond, but she quickly changed the topic of conversation. “But hey, enough about me. Tell me more about you! I know you like candy and the color red. What do you like to do in your spare time? What do you want to be when you grow up?”

 

Ziggy brightened at her questions, and he straightened his posture. “I want to be just like Sportacus when I grow up. I want to be a superhero!”

 

A smile touched her lips, and she glanced over at his eager, hopeful face. “I think you would make a great superhero, Ziggy.”

 

“You really think so?”

 

She made to reassure him, but a blue blur caught her attention, and her fingers wrapped tightly around the armrest as she saw Sportacus land three perfect flips before stopping beside them, his smile bright and cheerful. She let go of the armrest, the tension she had felt a moment ago easing.

 

“Hey guys, what's up?”

 

“Sportacus!” Ziggy exclaimed, hopping up off the bench and standing proudly by his idol. “We were just talking about how I would make a great superhero!”

 

Her grip tightened again on the armrest; so far, Sportacus had proven to be friendly and kind and wise to boot, but this, she felt, was the real test of his character. She hoped she was right in trusting him, that he wasn't too proud to encourage others.

 

Sportacus glanced at her, his eyes twinkling, and he winked, then focused on the child before him with a dazzling smile. “I think you'd make a _wonderful_ superhero, Ziggy! Just so long as you practice every day, and never give up!”

 

Ziggy's eyes sparkled with joy, and he cheered for himself and thanked Sportacus before running off towards one of the houses across town. “I can't wait to tell the other kids!” she heard as he sprinted away, and Sportacus chuckled to himself as he watched him go.

 

“He wants to be just like you,” she said quietly, and she let go of the bench. Sportacus' expression softened into something tender and happy, and she relaxed fully; everything about this man was open and trusting and kind, and she was relieved that he was shaping up to be every bit the hero everyone said he was.

 

“He's a very good kid,” the hero replied, smiling to himself. “They're all good kids.”

 

She smiled and parted her lips to reply, but her attention was drawn to his chestplate, in which something was glowing, throwing off a kaleidoscope of colors. A sort of high-pitched beeping issued from whatever it was, and she frowned up at him.

 

“What is that?”

 

He smirked slightly. “That's my crystal. That means someone's in trouble. Excuse me, I have to go!”

 

And with a seemingly deliberate series of poses, Sportacus used the bench and the wall behind her to get a running start on a somersault, landing expertly on his feet and setting off at a run, interjected with more somersaulting and flipping.

 

She debated following him and seeing what all the commotion was about, but he was already out of sight, parkouring away across Lazytown. She sighed and turned back to her water, taking several swigs before getting back to work. She would ask Sportacus about his crystal later, but for now, she needed to get her work done so she could have a good start on Robbie's cake.

 

...

 

Daisy carefully placed the last layer of cake on her masterpiece, centering the round on top of the bottom two. After a long day of weeding the sportsfield and town square, she had quickly jumped in the shower so she could get to baking. A three-tiered cake with homemade icing would make a great apology offering, right?

 

First she applied a crumb coat with chocolate ganache (even though Robbie hadn't asked for that), and the final layer would be homemade vanilla icing, just as Robbie had wanted. She had a little bit of ganache left over in the bowl at her elbow, so she could drizzle the excess on top for a little extra flair.

 

Twilight hung outside her open windows as she finished frosting the last bit of cake, using up that extra ganache to make a messy sort of spiral pattern on top of the cake. She stepped back, wiping her hands with a towel, and she smiled, reaching for her camera (which sat in a box on the dining table).

 

It was a shame Robbie had only given her a landline; if he had a phone that could receive pictures, she would have texted him a photo of the cake. It really was a lovely-looking masterpiece, and she only hoped it tasted as good as it looked.

 

Robbie was half-asleep as the shopping channel droned on in front of him, and he was just about to nod off when his phone started ringing, jolting him out of his doze.

 

He stared at it a moment, wondering briefly if he was dreaming, but he slowly reached out for it, holding it up carefully to his ear.

 

“Hello?” he said slowly.

 

“ _Hey Robbie, it's Daisy! I know it's kind of late, but I just got done with your cake, and I thought maybe we could meet somewhere so you can have dessert, you know?”_

 

Against his will, a smile blossomed on his face, and he sat up in his armchair, relaxing his shoulders as contentment washed over him. “You really did it,” he said before he could stop himself.

 

“ _Yes, I did. I told you I would. Anyway, where do you want to meet?”_

 

“I'll come to you!” he said quickly, turning off his TV and watching it ascend up into the rafters. “I'll be there in just a minute!”

 

And he quickly brushed himself off and shook off the last vestiges of sleep, striding happily towards the exit with a little pep in his step. He was halfway to her home before he remembered that this was all playing into Sportadupe's plan. How could he let himself be fooled like that?

 

He sighed as her house came into view, but then reassurances soothed his conscience. There really was no harm in enjoying a bit of cake, right? Sportacus didn't like cake, and he and Daisy could appreciate something he could never have. So there was that.

 

With that thought to comfort him, he set off again, whistling as visions of cake and good company filled his head.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robbie tries so hard to be tsundere, but I think we all know he's just a big softie.


	5. Not What You Expected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A talk over cake, a phone call and a very odd dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Robbie's job anyway? Like does he put "Villain" on his taxes? 
> 
> Does he even file taxes? 
> 
> Probably not, come to think of it.

Daisy was waiting for him outside her front door, wearing a flour-streaked apron and a bright, cheerful smile. Robbie felt his cheeks grow warm at the sight, but pushed away the feeling as he followed her into her home.

 

“Well?” she said, gesturing to the confection on the table. He paused, his breath coming out of him in a longing sort of sigh as he took in the sight of the cake. Three layers high, smooth and creamy frosting, a chocolate drizzle on top and all for him. Was he dreaming? He still couldn't believe that she had actually gone through with her promise, and made him such a delectable gift.

 

“C-Can I have a slice now?” he asked, his nose twitching in anticipation. She laughed.

 

“Robbie, it's your cake! You can have a piece right now if you want, it's all yours! By the way, how's the nose?”

 

He chuckled nervously (why was he so nervous?) and fidgeted with his fingers as she fetched a plate, knife and fork. “Oh, it's fine.” His mouth watered as the knife sunk cleanly into the cake, and he swallowed thickly as she handed him a large, tempting slice. His fork dove in before he could think, and after examining the bite a little closer, he put it in his mouth.

 

A symphony of chocolate and vanilla exploded on his tongue, the sugary sweetness casting ripples of pleasure down his spine. His eyes fluttered closed as he chewed, the toothsome cake and creamy frosting dancing together on his palate, and he bit back a moan of enjoyment.

 

“Is it good?” she asked quietly, pulling him out of the moment. A soft smile bloomed on his face, and he nodded.

 

“It's delicious,” he replied, digging in for more. This was truly one of the best cakes he'd ever eaten, and something about the fact that it was baked for him, that she had slaved away at a homemade treat for his benefit alone, made the cake taste that much sweeter. He had always thought swiped sweets tasted the best, but homemade fare with love and attention behind it...this was something special. If this was the reward, maybe Sportadupe's plan for them to be friends wasn't such a bad idea after all.

 

Surprisingly, the antisocial, cynical part of him didn't argue that point. Maybe it was the cake shutting it up, but he expected at least a halfhearted “friendship is a waste of time” from that corner of his brain.

 

Daisy watched him devour the slice of cake, engrossed in the scene in front of her before she realized she was being creepy. She glanced away, instead focusing her attention on the rest of the cake, and she nodded to herself in satisfaction. Her plan was working, and Robbie seemed to genuinely enjoy her offering.

 

“I'm really, really glad you like it,” she said finally as he put away the last bite, and he set the fork down with a satisfied sigh. She couldn't help but grin. “So, um...what do you do for a living, if you don't mind me asking?”

 

“Me?” he asked, blinking rapidly. Then he chuckled. “I'm an inventor. Rotten LLC has survived three generations – nearly eighty years, and I pride myself on upholding my grandfather's legacy and taking the family business into the modern era.” He sighed dramatically, and she leaned forward, intrigued. “It's a heavy burden to bear, but alas! Such is the price of genius.”

 

“What kind of things do you invent?”

 

“Oh, well, it's hard to categorize exactly, but I invent machines that make things easier, mostly. Self-baking ovens, control hubs that can modernize an entire town, wind-up robots and robotic dogs and a machine that makes taffy...”

 

“That's so cool!” she whispered, smiling in amazement. “I'd love to see some of your inventions sometime. But, I gotta ask...what's your clientele like?”

 

“Millionares, politicians, eccentrics,” he said with a shrug. “I get all types looking for my work.”

 

She noted his gaze drifting back to the cake, and she smiled at him. “Do you want another piece?”

 

He pressed his lips together and nodded, his gray eyes glittering in excitement. “Yes, please!”

 

Another slice was piled onto his plate, and he dug his fork in immediately.

 

“What is a self-baking oven, by the way? How does that work? I mean, most ovens these days have a self-clean function, but self-baking?”

 

He paused in raising a second bite to his lips. “Well...say you want to make a cake. Usually, you have to mix all the ingredients together yourself and put it into a pan. Then you have to wait for it to bake. But with a self-baking oven, you simply put the ingredients in one side, and turn a few dials, and presto! A slice of cake comes out the other end in less than five seconds! Think of the possibilities! Think of the endless slices of ooey gooey yummy cake you could make!”

 

He looked off dreamily for a moment, then dug back into the cake in front of him, sighing in contentment. She, however, frowned in confusion, her mind buzzing with questions.

 

“But...how? How can you make cake that fast?”

 

Something mischievous flashed in his eyes, and he chuckled darkly. “Now, do you honestly think I'd give up my secrets to you?”

 

She shook her head vehemently, pushing the rest of the cake towards him. “Even if you did, do you honestly think I'd understand them? I'm helpless when it comes to engineering and mechanical work. I know the basics of how to care for a lawnmower and a chainsaw, and I could probably at least plan a decent irrigation system, but the rest of my knowledge is purely biological in relation to my job. I leave repair and heavy maintenance to the professionals.”

 

“So what? I'm still not going to tell you how it works. A man has to guard his trade secrets, after all.”

 

“I understand,” she said, quietly acquiescing to his point. “But now I really want to see this self-baking oven in action. And I'm curious to see how the end product tastes.”

 

“Maybe one day I'll bring you a slice,” he replied, and the grin on his face gave her pause, making her wonder if he meant that as a good thing or not.

 

He gathered up his cake and sighed again, making his way to the door. “Well, as they say, parting is such sweet sorrow, but something far sweeter is calling my name. I'll see you around!”

 

“Okay, be safe! I hope you enjoy your cake!” she called after him as he strode into the darkness. “Good night!”

 

“Good night!” he called back, and then the darkness swallowed him and she retreated into the now-quiet house. Her mind still hummed with questions about the mysterious, dark-haired man who had just exited her home, and she mused (with a small ray of hope) that perhaps Robbie was more open to friendship than she first thought. It seemed he didn't hate her for nearly breaking his nose, and he apparently enjoyed her creation. So better than she expected, at least. Only time would tell if this accidental acquaintance could grow into real friendship.

 

The soft jingling of a ringtone shattered her chain of thought and brought her harshly back to reality, and she scrambled to find her phone, which she had left on the countertop after calling Robbie. She recognized the name and immediately took the call.

 

“Hey stranger,” she said, leaning against the counter. “How was the wedding?”

 

“ _Oh, you know, beautiful as always. The bride cussed out three of her friends before the thing even started and everyone was drunk by the end of the night. Other than that, I suppose everything went okay,_ ” Finch replied, but his usually smooth, rich voice sounded distant and tired. “ _How was the move?”_

 

“Quick and painless, thank God.” She moved to the living room and sunk down onto the couch. “You sound exhausted. Is everything okay?”

 

“ _Yeah_ ,” he said, almost too quickly, and she sighed audibly. “ _It's just been a really long week. I wish I could have been there to help you move in._ ”

 

“Dude, there will be plenty more opportunities to help me in the future. I'm not sure I'll be in this town forever. But it's good to hear from you anyway. I'm always here to talk if you need to...you know that, right?”

 

“ _I know_ ,” he sighed, and she smiled wanly at the wall. Finch Fairweather had been in two of her elective classes freshman year of college, and they had been fast friends ever since. They shared a photography hobby and enjoyed musical theater, and although Finch had wanted to help her move to Lazytown, he had already agreed to shoot a wedding several towns over and couldn't make it for moving day.

 

“Well, you can always come visit me,” she assured him. “I've got my own place now, and I even have a guest bedroom. Granted, I don't have a bed to put in there yet, but you could always crash on my couch. It's really nice here...it's peaceful and quiet.” Even through the phone, she could hear the voices of his roommates and the soft buzzing of a TV. “How's Chad?”

 

She had never liked Finch's boyfriend, but it wasn't her place to say anything about it.

 

“ _Fine_ ,” Finch said, and she frowned at the exhaustion in his voice. “ _We're doing okay. I think things will be easier once school starts up again and I don't have to do this dumb photography gig._ ”

 

“I'm sorry,” she said, her frown deepening in sympathy. “It sounds like you need a vacation now more than ever.”

 

A snort of derision made the phone crackle. “ _Chad would throw a fit if I came out there by myself. You know how he is...it's a nice thought, but nah. I'll be alright. How's the new job coming along?”_

 

“Fine...so far, so good. These people even threw a party for me. They're really nice, Finch...I'd love for you to meet them.”

 

“ _Maybe I'll visit for Christmas._ ” She heard him sigh into the line. _“Well...it's late, G, I need to get to bed. It was good to hear from you. I'll talk to you next week, maybe?”_

 

“Yeah, next week sounds great. You get some rest, okay?”

 

“ _Will do. Catch you later, dude._ ”

 

And with great reluctance, she ended the call and set her phone on the coffee table. She crossed her arms across her chest, staring out the dark window to the dim lights of Lazytown, wishing that Finch could see the quiet, serene beauty of this small town. Even though she had only been here for little more than a day, so much had happened to her. She couldn't stop thinking about what the kids and Sportacus had said about Robbie. She couldn't stop thinking about Chad and Finch sixty miles away, their relationship on the rocks until school started again. And she couldn't stop thinking about the dark-haired man who had just been in her kitchen eating cake.

 

She sighed, too full of questions to really go to sleep, so she sat down on the living room floor, surrounded by her boxes of books, and she started sorting them by type. Her medical manual and old textbooks went on one shelf, and history books and a hand-me-down dictionary went on another. Autobiographies were set above that, mystery novels and crime thrillers on the bottom shelf, and finally the final two shelves were filled with mythology and fantasy writings.

 

She pulled her old faerie storybook out of the bottom of the box and wiped off the cover. It had been years since she had read through all of it, and she found herself abandoning her project and settling in with the book on the couch. She could still remember a time when she would read chapters from this book every night, and every day she would be outside, tending to a little herb garden and looking for signs of faeries.

 

Daisy turned the page and yawned, smiling at the words on the page; she couldn't help but read the poem with her grandmother's voice echoing in her mind.

 

_The moon hung low in the twilight_

_The sun's rays kissed the trees_

_The warmth of a red midsummer_

_Spread far with a playful breeze_

 

_And close by the gate of a garden_

_By a manor made of stone_

_In the dying light of midsummer_

_Red in the light of summer_

_Singing there in the twilight_

_A maiden sat alone_

 

_Her eyes shone like twin emeralds_

_Her hair was red as blood_

_Her lips as sweet as the primrose_

_That bloomed deep in the wood_

 

_Her song took flight in the darkness_

_With a voice like an angel's sigh..._

 

Her eyes drooped a little, and she yawned into her hand.

 

_...And unbeknownst to the maiden_

_Hid from the red-haired maiden_

 

She felt herself relaxing into the couch, and she barely processed the next words on the page.

 

_His wings agleam in the twilight_

_The fairy king passed by..._

 

And with a soft sigh, Daisy gave in to sleep, and the book slid out of her fingers and onto the floor.

 

…

 

Full of cake and soda, Robbie put the last few slices of Daisy's offering under his silver dome cloche and settled into his chair, flicking the remote off so that the TV would ascend once again into the rafters. He groaned in contentment, and for once sleep came easy, and he drifted off into dreamland with hardly any problem at all.

 

But maybe he had eaten too much cake.

 

_He had to put as much distance between himself and the sportsfield as he could. He was busy deflating the last soccer ball when he heard footsteps, and God forbid that bronze-clad speed demon find him. Just the thought of what had happened last time made his stomach clench, and he sneaked through the twilit streets of Lazytown, slowly making his way towards Lazy Park._

 

“ _Robbie?”_

 

_He started and turned around at the sound of her voice, and he flinched automatically at the sight of the deflated soccer ball in her hand._

 

“ _I saw what you did,” she cried, tears welling in her eyes. “It's not funny!”_

 

_He shook his head. “I-I...I don't know what you're talking about.”_

 

“ _This, Robbie!” She shook the flat soccer ball skin at him. Her voice had risen to a shout, and Robbie backed away, poised to run should his nemesis appear. “I don't know why you do these things! Athleticus keeps telling me that you can't be trusted, and I've tried defending you...but maybe he's right. Maybe you're just rotten to the core!”_

 

“ _No, Maggie, wait!” he hissed, holding out his hands in a desperate attempt to placate her. “I'm sorry! I'll get you a new ball, I'll do whatever you want-” She frowned, looking away in disgust. “I'll never do it again, I promise, just, please...don't say anything to anyone! I'll fix my mistake, okay? Please...”_

 

_She shook her head and took a few steps back from him, tears glittering on her cheeks. “I can't, Robbie...I can't do this anymore...I'm going to tell Athleticus what you did.”_

 

“ _There's no need,” a calm, collected voice said, and chills crawled down Robbie's spine at the sound of it creeping out of the darkness. The brilliant bronze hero stepped out of the shadows and took the deflated ball from Maggie, giving her a soft smile._

 

“ _See what I told you?” Athleticus said quietly. “He's rotten, just as I've been saying all along. You deserve better friends than him, Maggie. Go on. I'm sure your brother will be looking for you.”_

 

_And with one last tearful look at him, his only friend disappeared into the darkness, leaving him and their friendship behind. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of what was coming next, and he had the wild thought to just flee. He knew it would never work, though. Athleticus was far too fast for him. But he stared into the twilight after the girl he had called friend, and the last thing he saw before darkness consumed him was her bubblegum hair and her purple headband..._

 

Robbie gasped as he awoke, cold tears staining his cheeks as he squinted through the darkness at his alarm clock. _5 AM_ it read, and he collapsed back into his fluffy chair, breathing heavily in the dim light glowing through the windows. What in the world was that all about?

 

He hastily dashed the tears from his cheeks and stared up into the rafters, frowning at them as if they could tell him why he was dreaming about Maggie Meanswell when he hadn't thought about her in years.

 

He had met her when he first came to Lazytown, way back when he was only twelve or so, hardened from a life in Mayhemtown and loathe to trust anyone. But she had been nice to him, tried to include him in the games the other kids played; and even though their activities wore him out, he played along for a while, trying to fit in. His love of pranks, however, had quickly made most of the children stop interacting with him, until Maggie was the only one who would talk to him anymore.

 

But he had ruined even that, and she had turned his back on him, taking sides with that bronze bodybuilding bastard who sought to make his life hell at every turn. And then she had moved away, leaving him behind for college and a boyfriend, and he had never really tried to make friends since then...

 

Now another numbered elf was trying to meddle in his affairs, but why? Athleticus at least had a plan that made sense, no matter how much it pained him. Cutting the villain off from the town and any potential help had driven him to hide in his lair for years, only coming out when he was desperately in need of food or emergency supplies. And even then, he only came out in a disguise, until bigger problems had called that bronze bastard away and Lazytown once again sunk into its old habits of laziness and apathy.

 

But why was Sportacus trying to make this friendship between him and Daisy work? Why did he care?

 

The clock ticked on towards seven, and he found he was far too tired to think harder about this problem right now. He wanted to go back to sleep and snooze the day away, and his eyelids drooped, slowly fluttering as one last yawn sent him back into slumber.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The Fairy King" is an original poem written by me for this story.


	6. A Picnic in the Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ziggy invites Daisy to a picnic, and all the kids and Sportacus join. Robbie is watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it!

Daisy's efforts to trim the trees in the residential quarter took a bit longer than she originally intended. So many of the branches had been neglected for so long that her first estimate on how long it would take had to be tripled, but thankfully the mayor was understanding.

 

“There's storms due in the extended forecast,” she told Milford on the start of the second week. “If it's okay, I'd like to focus on the trees for now so we don't have any loose branches falling down in the rain. I'll get to the flower beds after that.”

 

“Well, you are the expert here. I think that sounds like a wonderful plan!”

 

She smiled and nodded, quickly leaving his office to get back to her project.

 

And so the first week bled into the second. She saw the children playing outside every day, and often she spotted Sportacus flipping in the distance, or playing with the kids. Ziggy and Stephanie made it a point to come talk to her every day, just for a few minutes, and she listened to them while she worked. She learned that Stephanie wanted to be a dancer when she grew up, and that her parents worked internationally during the summer, which was one of the main reasons she was staying with her uncle. She also got clarification on something she had wondered since her first day.

 

“Hey, Stephanie?” she asked as she stacked loose branches into a pile. “What's sportscandy?”

 

The girl laughed. “Oh, that's just what Sportacus calls fruits and vegetables. You know, healthy stuff.”

 

“Oh, okay,” she replied, mulling that over.

 

“I thought he was talking about some sort of special candy when I first heard him say it,” Ziggy chimed, licking his lollipop. “I was really wrong...but I know better now!”

 

She smiled at him, dusting off her front. “Well, to be honest, that was my first thought. So you're not alone there.”

 

The mayor and Ms. Busybody bustled about on their business and could often be seen around town, and she noticed Nehviah and Stan walking in the park on Sunday evening while she was outside taking stock of her front flowerbeds. Even some older residents could be seen milling around the business district early in the mornings, but there was no sign of Robbie for nearly two and a half weeks. Ever since she had watched him disappear into the darkness with her cake, she hadn't seen him out and about like the other residents of Lazytown. Stephanie had assured her on her first day that Robbie often got up to mischief every few days, but if he was in town, she had to be missing him.

 

It was halfway through her third week of being in Lazytown, and she was dragging a few branches over to the wheelbarrow when Sportacus performed several backflips into view, stopping with a triple flip beside her.

 

“Hey Daisy, what's up?” he asked with a bright, bubbly smile, and she pointed to the trees.

 

“All of these dead branches need to come down before the storms roll in this weekend. Everything else is on hold until then. But I should be done the day after tomorrow.”

 

“Do you need any help?” he asked, and she smiled and shook her head.

 

“I've got this, but thank you for offering.” She threw the branches into the wheelbarrow as if to prove her point, and her gaze drifted upward to the zeppelin floating over Lazytown. The inclement weather due in a few days was still on her mind. “Do you stay up there during storms, or...?”

 

He followed her line of sight and laughed. “Yes, I stay up in my airship every night, even during storms! The ship has an automatic anchoring system built in, so it's safe to fly even in bad weather.”

 

“Do you ever get struck by lightning?”

 

His eyes twinkled as he watched his home hover high above their heads. “No, never...but I came close one time when I was flying over the North Sea.”

 

She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. “That doesn't make me feel any better. If there is a storm and you don't feel safe up there, you know you could probably stay at any house in town. Everyone loves you...well, almost everyone.” She smirked at the memory of her first meeting with the town grump, then frowned. “I haven't seen Robbie since I gave him that cake.”

 

Sportacus frowned as well, looking around town, and she sighed again. “Does he disappear for days at a time like this? I get the impression that he's a homebody, but...I've seen everyone else but him.”

 

“Well, I know he's not in trouble. If he was, my crystal would tell me.”

 

She focused her attention at the white, pearlescent orb embedded in his chestplate. “So, that crystal...it beeps and flashes when there's trouble, right?”

 

He nodded.

 

“How do you know where the trouble is?”

 

He smiled. “The crystal shows me,” he explained. “I get a sense of where I'm needed, and who's in trouble. So if Robbie needed my help, my crystal would let me know.”

 

“If you say so,” she said with a sigh, her gaze still on the crystal. “Where did you get it, anyway? If you don't mind me asking?”

 

His bright blue eyes twinkled, and he leaned in a little closer to her. “It was a gift. My pabbi gave it to me when I finished my superhero training.”

 

“Your...pabbi?”

 

He frowned for a moment, then laughed. “Sorry, I forget sometimes...my dad gave it to me!”

 

“Oh, that's amazing! What does your dad do for a living?”

 

“He's a hero, just like me! I'm Number Ten, but he's Number Eight. He's assigned to an area far to the north of here, closer to home.”

 

Sportacus' gaze grew pensive for a moment, but then he smiled fondly, looking up at his airship. She followed his gaze upward, a melancholy smile on her face.

 

“Do you miss home?”

 

“Sometimes,” he said quietly, still staring up at the zeppelin. “But Lazytown is my home too.”

 

She opened her mouth to answer, but the crystal on his chest flashed its warning, and Sportacus snapped to attention, scanning the area with fierce concentration.

 

“It's not Robbie, is it?” she asked quietly. He shook his head, then smiled.

 

“Ziggy,” he said simply, then made those deliberate poses, using the last pose as a springboard into several cartwheels and flips, and off he ran just down the road, grabbing the young boy off a stray skateboard. She heard his boyish laughter even from far off, and the hero knelt down to talk to Ziggy with a bright smile on his face. She watched them interact, and was surprised (but still pleased) when the two of them came back to her, both smiling and laughing at their little adventure.

 

“Hey Daisy!” the boy shouted, running up to her. “The kids and I were wondering if you'd like to have lunch with us today! You know...cash that rain check?”

 

She grinned and nodded. “Sure thing, Ziggy! Tell you what, it's such a nice day out, so how about a picnic under the big tree by the sportsfield? I can go home and make some sandwiches real quick if you'd like. Do you guys like PB and J’s?”

 

“Yeah, we eat those all the time! Sportacus, do you think you can join us too?”

 

“Of course, Ziggy! I'll bring lots of sportscandy for everyone! Be right back!”

 

She watched him leave and brushed herself off, taking mental stock of how many people she would need to feed; the sight of Ziggy nearly vibrating with excitement made her chuckle.

 

“So that's you, me, Sportacus and Stephanie...and what are the other three called?”

 

“Pixel, Stingy and Trixie.”

 

“Right. So that makes seven. Does anyone have any allergies?”

 

“No...well, Sportacus can't have sugar.”

 

“Really?” she wondered aloud. “I'm really glad you said something, because peanut butter, jelly and bread all have sugar.” She looked up to the airship, thinking of what else she had that the hero could eat. “Well, shoot, now I have questions and he's not here to answer…” She glanced down at the child beside her. “Sorry, Ziggy, I...does Sportacus have a phone up there?”

 

“Um...not that I know of. But if you need to talk to him, there's another way! Come on, I'll show you!”

 

And he led her towards town square, where a silver tube sat next to the wall, attached to a long lever. She had weeded around the thing two weeks ago, but hadn't given much thought to what it was.

 

“Hey guys, what's up?”

 

“Stephanie!” the boy cried, waving her closer. “I was just about to show Daisy how to work the letter chute.” The pink-clad girl immediately understood and produced a silver tube from her bag, along with a pink diary.

 

“Here,” she said, handing over the diary, and she quickly produced a pen. “Just write your message to Sportacus on this.”

 

She thanked the girl and uncapped the pen, then thought for a moment.

 

_Sportacus,_

 

_Ziggy told me you can't have sugar, and PB &J’s are full of it. Is there anything else I can bring for you?_

 

_Thanks,_

_Daisy_

 

“Okay, all done.”

 

“So all you have to do is roll this up and put it in the mail tube,” Ziggy explained, and he directed her to put the tube in the chute and pull the lever. With shaded eyes, the trio watched the little tube rise in the air, somehow fitting perfectly into the airship.

 

“Well, how about that…” she muttered, missing the knowing smirk Stephanie and Ziggy shared. “By the way, Stephanie, Ziggy asked me to lunch with you guys, and I suggested a picnic. I hope that's alright with you.”

 

“That sounds great! Is everyone invited?”

 

“You, me, Ziggy, your other friends and Sportacus. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches sound good?”

 

She grinned and nodded, and just as the two kids talked amongst themselves as to who might have a blanket to sit on, she noticed a light blue paper airplane flying through the air towards her.

 

“See?” Stephanie said with a bright smile as Daisy caught it. “He always replies by paper airplane or in person.”

 

She opened the message, smiling slightly at the words.

 

_Dear Daisy,_

 

_Don't worry about me! I only eat sportscandy – that's fruits and vegetables, by the way – and I'll bring enough for you, me and all the kids! See you soon!_

 

_-Sportacus_

 

“What did he say?” Ziggy asked excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

 

“He said don't worry about him. He's bringing plenty of fruit and vegetables for everyone.” She folded the paper and put it into her pocket. “Well, if you guys want to get set up under the tree, I'll go home and make us some sandwiches real quick.”

 

The children accepted with enthusiasm and ran off to get a blanket, and she broke out into a light jog, trotting back to her home so she could prepare for the picnic. It didn't take long to assemble lunch for six, leaving her with the end of a loaf and just enough peanut butter and jelly for a few more sandwiches.

 

Her fingers traced the outline of her phone in her pocket, and after a moment's thought, she made two more sandwiches, and made off across Lazytown towards the picnic site.

 

The kids had already assembled for lunch and were lounging around on a blanket under the tree, and she had just passed out a sandwich for each child when Sportacus arrived, the basket on his arm full of produce.

 

“This looks great, kids!” They waved and cried out in greeting, and he laughed as he handed the basket to Trixie. “Alright, everyone take some sportscandy!”

 

So they passed around the basket, each taking an apple or an orange, and soon the air filled with the sound of chewing and crunching.

 

“This sandwich is really good, Daisy!” Ziggy exclaimed after swallowing a large mouthful. “Thank you for making them!”

 

“Oh, sweetie, it was no trouble. And thanks for the demo on that letter chute, by the way. I appreciate your help. It makes me feel more at home here.”

 

The boy blushed and smiled bashfully. “Well, what are friends for?”

 

“So now you know how to use _my_ letter chute, huh?” the boy in yellow said haughtily, his nose slightly upturned.

 

“Stingy!” Stephanie said, shaking her head as everyone laughed. “My uncle says that chute was there since he was a teenager. It's been here for ages.”

 

“From what I understand,” Sportacus explained, “it was put here by Number Nine. Every town has a letter chute nowadays.”

 

“Really?” She frowned into her sandwich. “I don't recall seeing one in Busy City, much less Teeny Township.”

 

“Your hometown?” Daisy nodded, and he smiled. “We first started installing them across the country fifteen years ago, and I know it must have one now. Number Four mentioned a traffic accident in Teeny Township in her last letter to me.”

 

“Well, heck, I'm way behind on the news, then. We never had a hero back home when I lived there, and I never saw one in Busy City.”

 

Sportacus shrugged. “The Busy City police force has always been good about keeping the town safe, so heroes aren't really needed over in that area. But if there was ever too much trouble, Number Six would be there in a flash. Busy City is in his jurisdiction.”

 

She nodded, chewing a bite of apple, and the kids whispered amongst themselves about something or other, perhaps discussing this information on heroes.

 

“So,” Daisy said once she had polished off her apple. “I know Ziggy likes candy and wants to be a superhero when he grows up. And I know Stephanie likes sports and wants to be a dancer, but I don't really know much about the rest of you. What do you kids like to do in your spare time? What are your favorite games? What do you want to do when you grow up?”

 

“Well, I don't really know what I want to be yet, but I like driving around in _my_ car, and I like counting all of _my_ coins and looking at _my_ things,” Stingy said to start.

 

She frowned in confusion and slight discomfort, but rallied with an idea. “Do you want to be a banker, maybe? Or what about an antiques dealer? That might be up your alley.”

 

“Hm...maybe. I'll think on it.”

 

“Stingy, there's no rush,” she said, chuckling. “You have years and years to figure out what you want to be.”

 

“And who knows?” Sportacus interjected. “Maybe you'll find something you want to be two or three or even ten years from now.”

 

“That's true,” she agreed. “The world is full of possibilities for you to explore.”

 

Stingy didn't answer, but he seemed heartened by the sentiment.

 

“What about you, Trixie?” Stephanie asked, nudging her friend with fondness in her eyes.

 

“It'd be so cool to be a super sports star, or a DJ!”

 

She nodded indulgently, intrigued by the idea of this little girl becoming a disc jockey. “So have you written any songs?”

 

Trixie blushed, her bravado suddenly gone. “Well, not really...b-but I'm working on some! One's got this awesome beat, but I still need a melody to go on top of it.”

 

“Oh my gosh, that's so cool! You'll have to show me sometime!”

 

The pigtailed girl grinned and focused on her sandwich, her spare hand tapping out a beat against her thigh.

 

“Alright Pixel, your turn. Tell me about yourself.”

 

He looked down at his shoes, fiddling with the stem off his apple. “I do stuff with electronics and computers. It's nothing fancy, just something I like to do in my spare time. But I really like playing video games.”

 

“Nothing fancy?” Stephanie exclaimed, and Stingy turned to the gardener, almost looking offended.

 

“I will have you know that Pixel’s inventions are extraordinary. I especially liked the remote control airplane he made last year, because it's _mine._ ”

 

The others laughed, and Daisy brightened. “So you invent things?”

 

“Yeah, just about anything electronic. Just gadgets and things. I like working with my hands.”

 

“There's a market for that, you know. If you can keep current with technology, there's a lot of different directions you could go. And you'll have to show me some of your inventions.”

 

“Sure!” he said, smiling. “I'm actually working on a new motherboard, but once I'm done with that, I'll set up some hot spots around town so I can access all my information on the go!”

 

“You'd best check with the mayor before you start, Pixel,” Sportacus warned.

 

“Absolutely check with the mayor. But, if I'm understanding you correctly, you're essentially setting up wi-fi in Lazytown?”

 

Pixel nodded, a bright, hopeful gleam in his eyes. “Yeah, I'm having trouble accessing my data when I get too far from my house, so I thought I'd take Lazytown into the digital age!” He paused. “With the mayor's permission first, though.”

 

“I think that's a great idea!” Daisy said earnestly. “I think that could be an asset to the town.”

 

Unbeknownst to the small gathering under the tree, a pair of eyes watched them all from a periscope.

 

Robbie had finished off the last of the cake the day after his meeting with Daisy, and ever since then, he had felt so unlike himself he wasn't sure what to do. This woman, this green-thumbed gardener was the monkey wrench in his plans that he never would have anticipated three weeks ago.

 

To his frustration, he couldn't deduce her personality by distant observation alone. He knew the kids well enough to know their strengths and weaknesses, and he had watched Sportadud long enough to know how to manipulate him into any trap he could set (well, most of the time). And the mayor and Ms. Busybody were generally uninvolved. None of those players on his board were hard to predict. He knew them all, had spent countless hours observing their games and their conversations and sometimes prying into their personal lives to learn more about who he was dealing with.

 

But what to do about Daisy?

 

One part of him wanted to scheme and manipulate her, learning her weaknesses and turning her lazy as he tried to do with the kids. But she wasn't necessarily annoying, or loud, or a nuisance like the little brats and that blue kangaroo. She mostly kept to herself for the two weeks he watched her, cleaning up around Lazytown and carefully climbing into the trees to prune them of dead branches – though he did notice that Pink Girl and Candy Boy stopped by often to talk to her, and she seemed to like them.

 

He also noticed how tightly she clung to the branches, how often she steadied herself even when she was stable. Was she scared of heights, perhaps?

 

The other part of him, the one he did not want to acknowledge, quietly told him again and again to let Sportacus' plan unfold, to see where this new acquaintance took them. That part reminded him of his loneliness, of countless hours pacing around his lair bored out of his mind, or of endless days and nights with no sleep and nothing to distract him from the exhaustion. He had, of course, made himself several slices of cake since polishing off the last of what Daisy had made, and he couldn't help but notice how much nicer her cake was compared to his. He still ate it, of course, but the memory of seeing that beautiful confection on her table, of the satisfaction and happiness in her eyes as he wolfed it down...

 

It haunted him.

 

And every time he thought about that look in her eye, that weird feeling that had plagued him since the day she arrived slipped back into his belly, and he itched to go topside and see her again. But he didn't have any reason to talk to her! Their transaction was finished, their deal was complete. She had his number, yes, but it was only to get in contact with him to tell him the cake was done. She wouldn't call him again, that much he knew. So what would he even say to her if they met again?

 

Besides, friendship had never favored him, not after all these years. Even if they did become friends, Daisy would leave him eventually, just like _she_ did.

 

So the first week of Daisy living in Lazytown bled into the second week, and he found himself pacing around his lair, half-formed plans swirling around in his head, and he got nowhere with any of them. All he could think to do was to distract himself with TV, or eat cake, or sleep away this awkward, irritating situation, and hopefully something would present itself soon.

 

He had woken up to the sound of the kids setting up for a picnic, and watched with a grumbling stomach as Daisy arrived and passed out sandwiches (though the sight of Sportacus giving the children sportscandy made his stomach turn a little). He noted there were some extra food, but none of the kids reached for another sandwich, seemingly full from what they had been given. His stomach growled again, and he glanced towards his cake machine, contemplating making a snack.

 

He endured their conversation, rolling his eyes and silently mocking each and every one of them as they talked about their aspirations and goals. Ziggy was far too small to ever be a hero, and why would he even want to give up cake and candy just to be like Sportaspot? Of course Loud Girl would want to be something to make her even louder and more annoying than she already was. Though she didn't say it, he knew the Pink Girl had dreams of being a dancer, and he hoped if she ever achieved that goal, she would do it far, far away from here. And poor, greedy little Sticky! He grinned with malice at the thought of that bratty little snob never finding a true career, not that he needed one with all the money his parents were sitting on. At least Poodle was doing something quiet, but knowing how his life was going now, the little techie would make inventions to get people up and moving, not make their lives easier and lazier.

 

The kids got to their feet and talked about starting a game of soccer, and Daisy promised to catch up with them later for a game. Sportacus took his basket back, but before he could flip away, the gardener stopped him.

 

“ _Do you know...does Robbie like peanut butter and jelly?_ ”

 

Sportacus smiled and shook his head. “ _I'm not sure. Is that why there's extra sandwiches?_ ”

 

“ _I was kind of hoping he would show up. I know you said if he was in trouble, your crystal would tell you, but...I don't know. It would be nice to see him in person and know he's doing okay._ ”

 

Robbie swallowed thickly, frowning into the periscope. She was worried about him? His heart skipped to a funny little rhythm, and he felt strangely light; his grip on the periscope handles tightened for a moment. It was so strange to hear someone asking after him, considering he was the town villain and most people didn't particularly like to see him around anyway. Maybe he should go up and talk to her.

 

“ _Hold up, let me call him. Hopefully he's awake._ ”

 

“I am awake,” he said to himself, and then realized what was happening and rushed to his chair, sitting quickly and staring at the phone with nervous expectation. And sure enough, it rang, and he picked it up immediately.

 

“Hello?” he said, a silly little grin on his face.

 

“ _Hey, Robbie! Did I wake you?”_

 

“N-No, no, I've been awake for a little while,” he assured her. But why was he stuttering? “C-Can I...help you with something?”

 

“ _Have you eaten lunch yet?”_

 

He smiled to himself, staring innocently at the ceiling despite the fact that she couldn't see him. “No, I was just about to make myself something.”

 

“ _Well, it's funny you should mention that. Do you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?”_

 

He laughed, fidgeting nervously with the fluff of his chair. “Yes, I don't mind those. W-Why do you ask?”

 

“ _Because I made some extra sandwiches in the hope I would see you today. It's been two weeks, Robbie, have you been busy?”_

 

“Uh...” He looked around wildly as if a proper answer would appear before him, but he chuckled nervously to cover his lack of a response.

 

“ _...If you don't want to answer, that's perfectly okay! I understand, it's just, I've seen everyone else in town except for you...I was starting to wonder if you were okay._ ”

 

“I am okay!” he exclaimed. “I am perfectly fine. I-I just...haven't been up in a while, and...y-you know...”

 

“ _You don't have to explain! I'm just glad to hear your voice and know everything's good. Now, these sandwiches aren't going to eat themselves, you know. Why don't you come up to town square and have lunch?”_

 

He stood, smiling as he dusted himself off. “I'll be right there!”

 

“ _Great! See you in a bit!”_

 

And so Robbie hung up the phone, ignoring the fact that his face felt warm, and he quickly rushed to his costume changer to get ready for the day. A familiar tingle tickled his palm as he pulled the lever, and soon he was laughing and spinning, his pajamas and robe disappearing for his daily outfit. Once he had his bearings again and smoothed down his outfit, he headed for the door, and despite all his misgivings, he smiled. After all, what was a couple of sandwiches?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Robbie. You don't even know what's happening, do you, buddy?


	7. Lunch Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robbie shows up for a sandwich (or two). He and Daisy talk a little more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate your kind words!

Sportacus smiled at her as she put her phone back in her pocket, and Daisy nodded in satisfaction. “He's on his way,” she relayed, and the hero laughed, handing her the leftover sandwiches. “Can I have some fruit to go with it?”

 

He nodded and handed her an apple, and she put it on the plate with the PB&J. “Hey,” she said softly, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck, “I really appreciate you eating lunch with me and the kids. I think it really made them happy.”

 

The hero simply smiled, that tender look back in his eye as he glanced over to where the kids were starting up a game of soccer. “I love spending time with them, so it's not like you _have_ to thank me,” Sportacus replied. “But you're welcome all the same. You were really good with them too, you know. They're eager to get to know you, and I think they really like having someone like you around.”

 

“Well, today went way better than the welcome party, so there's that.”

 

He tilted his head, reminding her of a curious dog. “What was wrong with the welcome party?”

 

“Oh, nothing! It was just...” She sighed, rubbing her neck again. “It was a bit overwhelming, and I got anxious about all the people around me...but today! Everything went fine, and I didn't feel nervous at all! Maybe because you and Ziggy and Stephanie have made it a habit of talking to me, so it wasn't like having lunch with six strangers. I had three friends there with me today. And as time goes on and I get to know the other three kids better, that makes everything so much easier.” She smiled shyly at him. “I'm not trying to say I didn't enjoy your company at the welcome party, or that I didn't like meeting you, it was just so many people all at once...”

 

His brow furrowed, and he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “No, I understand. Meeting new people is hard, harder sometimes when you have a personality like yours. Me, I love meeting new people and trying new things, but you...you're like Pixel. Too much interaction and you have to be by yourself for a while.” His eyes twinkled as he looked over her shoulder. “Robbie's like that too. You have a lot in common, I think.”

 

She turned and followed his gaze, and saw Robbie sauntering her way, a contented look on his face as he strolled along. She could even hear him humming.

 

“The kids are waiting on me,” Sportacus said, and she turned back to him. “See you later, Daisy!”

 

“Bye!” she called, waving as he flipped over towards the kids, then turned just as Robbie hopped over the dividing wall between them and promptly fell on his face.

 

“Oh my god, are you okay?” She ran over to him and carefully set the plate down before offering him a hand.

 

Robbie took it, looking pointedly away from her as he brushed himself off. Why did he just make a fool of himself in front of her? She must think he was an idiot. “I meant to do that!” he said quickly, plastering a smile on his face to make it convincing, and he chuckled nervously as she replied with a smile of her own.

 

“Ready to eat?” she asked, holding up the plate and gesturing to a nearby bench. He took the hint, grateful for a chance to sit down, and she sat beside him as he dug into his lunch. The apple on his plate made him gag a little, but he simply scooted it to the edge of the plate and concentrated on the sweet and salty sandwich in his hand.

 

“You know, if you don't want the apple, you can just say so. I'll eat it.”

 

His mouth was currently full, so he simply nodded, and she plucked it off his plate and took a large bite. His chewing slowed as she frowned slightly, her mouth working that disgusting sportscandy, but then she shrugged and swallowed.

 

“Disgusting, isn't it?”

 

She raised an eyebrow at him, then shrugged again and took another bite. He scooted away from her a little on the bench and took another bite of his sandwich.

 

“It's a Red Delicious,” she explained once she swallowed her second bite. “And it is a bit mealy. But other than that, it's not too bad. Can't really complain.”

 

He swallowed thickly and pointed accusingly at the apple. “But it's sportscandy!” he said, sticking out his tongue in disgust. “It's yucky and mealy! Why are you still eating it?”

 

She laughed, looking confused at his outburst. “Robbie, it's just an apple! Relax!” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You're not pulling my leg on this, are you?”

 

Robbie flinched, shaking his head vigorously. “I'm not making fun, I'm serious!”

 

His words hung in the air, and she continued to stare at him, confused. “You really hate apples that much, huh?” she said slowly, finally breaking the silence.

 

“It's not just apples, it's oranges and carrots and watermelon and tomatoes and broccoli! Everything vegetable! Everything fruit! I...” He lost momentum at her incredulous look. “I just really don't like them. They all taste disgusting! I don't understand how you could ever eat something like that,” he gestured to her apple, “much less _enjoy_ it.”

 

“Okay, so you don't like fruits and vegetables, is what you're saying?”

 

He nodded slowly, glaring at her apple. His confidence from barely ten minutes ago was evaporating, and he finished off his sandwich as something to do.

 

“So,” she said softly, and he glanced over at her. “What do you like to eat, then?”

 

“Cake,” he replied. “Cookies, ice cream, soda...you know, the good stuff!”

 

She laughed again, and he frowned at her, a sinking sensation forming in his stomach. He had come to lunch because he was hungry (and yes, maybe a teeny tiny part of him wanted to spend time with her), but this conversation was making him lose his appetite. What if she was on Sportakook's side, and decided she didn't want to be friends with him over this?

 

 _Well, that just goes to show that friendship is a waste of time,_ the cynical part of his brain chimed.

 

She must have caught his offended look, because she stopped laughing and sighed. “I'm sorry, I'm not making fun of you, it's just...do you eat cookies and cake and soda all the time?”

 

“Yes, I happen to be an adult, and I can make my own decisions! Don't try to convert me to your sportscandy-loving ways!” he snapped, and she flinched.

 

“It's not my place to try and convert you, Robbie,” she said slowly, looking down at her apple. He suddenly felt guilty, and took a bite of the second sandwich. It really was quite good, and hadn't she brought them?

 

“These sandwiches are tasty,” he offered, hoping that might make her smile. And then silently cursed himself. There he was again, wasting his time on others and actually trying to show that he _cared_. What did he care what this girl felt? How many times would he have to tell himself that he didn't do friends?

 

“I'm glad you like it,” she said in reply, and he smiled, though she did not. It made the smile slip away from him, and there was that guilt again, slithering into his stomach like a snake. His next bite of peanut butter and jelly was more subdued as he waited for her to speak. “Robbie, please understand, I'm not trying to be the food police. I was just going to make a comment about your body type and how I find it hard to believe that that's all you eat, considering how you look.” She sighed. “But it's not my place to comment on this in the first place. I'm sorry. And I am glad that you like the sandwiches. I'm relieved I got to see you today.”

 

He stopped mid-chew, swallowed thickly and turned to her, frowning. “R-Really?”

 

She finally smiled, and his mouth couldn't help but echo her movement, mirroring her with a smile of his own. Even though he had heard her voice her concern for him earlier, he still couldn't believe she was actually worried about him. No one ever worried about him, or if they did, they didn't show it. This was so new...and he had to admit, it was kind of nice.

 

“So...um...if you don't mind me asking,” she began, her voice slow and cautious, “what do you do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies?”

 

He chuckled nervously.“Well, I like to watch TV,” he replied, and she nodded, taking another bite of that disgusting apple. “And I like snacks.” She nodded again, her eyes intent upon him. “And I really really like taking naps.”

 

She swallowed her apple and stared at the half-eaten fruit, taking one last bite before tossing the core into a nearby trashcan. “I'm not going to lie,” she said, wiping her hands down her overalls. “You just named three of my favorite things. I like watching TV too. And I love ice cream. And naps are the best. Sometimes the best part of my day, really.”

 

“Really?!” Now he couldn't help but smile. He held back a chuckle, wondering if Sportacus knew this new addition to the town liked to be lazy. Finally, someone who understood the truly wonderful things in life!

 

“Really!” she repeated, laughing. “I like all those things! But I also like gardening – obviously – and growing vegetables and being outdoors. So, yeah...that's me.”

 

He huffed a little. “I can't help but wonder why someone like you would want to be outside all the time.”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, laughter still in her voice. “I've loved being outside and gardening since I was a girl, looking all around for elves and fairies.”

 

He raised his eyebrows, turning to face her fully, and he looked her up and down with a shrewd gaze. “Really? Well...did you ever find any?”

 

She laughed again. “Of course not! But that doesn't mean I didn't try my best. I left out little homes for them, and tried to leave little bits of bread and cake for them until my mom made me stop.” She sighed. “I spent so many hours looking, and I would see all these plants and fungi and just started learning their names, and long after I stopped looking for hidden folk, I'm still taking care of the plants.”

 

She looked up at him with a soft smile, and for a moment, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. His cheeks were growing warm...

 

There he went again with those ooey-gooey feelings in his stomach! This was ridiculous! He stared pointedly at his empty plate before her hand came into his peripheral, gently taking it away.

 

She set it beside her on the bench and leaned back, and seemed like she wanted to say something more before he noted Sportaflop looking down at his crystal, the chestpiece shimmering in warning; soon he was flippity-flopping past them, running down the road towards some unknown danger. Robbie rolled his eyes and stared up at the sky, and Daisy sighed beside him. He glanced sidelong at her, not sure if what he had heard was just a sigh or something more...romantic. He clenched his jaw and squinted his eyes at the thought of Daisy falling head over heels for that Sportadupe.

 

“Does he always break out into a full-blown gymnastics routine when he's trying to save someone?”

 

He snorted. “Hmph,” he said, shaking his head at Sportacus' retreating form. “I've never seen him walk like a normal person. It's always flippity-floppity all over town.”

 

“Why does he do that, though?” she asked, frowning at him. “Does he have a particular reason, or...?”

 

He raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. “Maybe he just likes to show off.”

 

She shrugged, looking pensive. “I suppose that's possible...” She looked back at the kids playing their silly little games, and Robbie glanced towards the brats just in time to see Pink Girl make a difficult save, tossing the ball back to Poodle.

 

“So how long have you lived in Lazytown?”

 

Robbie looked back to her, silently pleased that she was focusing her attention on him once again. “Oh,” he started, “a long time. I moved here when I was...twelve? Thirteen? I don't remember, I was young.”

 

She smiled. “And where did you live before?”

 

“Mayhemtown.”

 

“Seriously?” He frowned at her, but she whistled and patted him on the shoulder. He suddenly felt like his stomach had dropped to the ground. “Holy shit, Robbie, I'm glad you're here and not there. Goddamn...have you read the news from the past few years? Crime rates are soaring in Mayhemtown, so much that they're having to borrow policemen from other cities just to get a handle on things.”

 

“It's too noisy there for me,” he said simply, then sighed dramatically. “That is a shame about the crime. I grew up in the nicer part of town, and even then, there was no telling what thug would be waiting around the corner to steal your lunch money.”

 

“Did anyone ever steal your lunch money?” she asked, her voice nearly a whisper. She sounded worried, but he laughed.

 

“Are you joking?” he said, and he chuckled again, tightening his arms across his chest. “I am Robbie Rotten, and even then, I had started to make a name for myself. They knew not to mess with me.”

 

It was a lie, but he sold it well. She didn't need to know about the bullies and thugs that knew Robbie Rotten was a coward, and when he couldn't slip away, he was an easy target. Everyone who wanted to hurt him was bigger and meaner and stronger than him, and though his brother and the Mayhemtown Gang had eventually dispensed revenge on his behalf, he hadn't escaped the violence of that city unscathed.

 

He couldn't imagine Sportacus ever cowering behind a dumpster, crying his eyes out as he rubbed at bruises and cuts, and hoped no one else would come to hurt him. He couldn't imagine Sportacus' father berating him for being a whimpering little sissy, and having to hide all future injuries so his father wouldn't yell at him. After all, a politician's son was supposed to be civilized, and project strength and confidence. If his father's opponents knew his family could be cowed so easily, well...that might be a bad blow for his career, and for his business.

 

If Sportacus was lucky enough to not have that kind of childhood, then he could pretend he was lucky too. He wouldn't want Daisy to think he was weaker than that blue kangaroo!

 

“Well, I'm glad you made it out okay,” she said, her shoulders relaxing. “Not everyone is so lucky. You like it here in Lazytown?”

 

He shrugged and leaned back into the bench, his hands behind his head, and he closed his eyes. “It suits me alright. I wish it was quieter, though.”

 

He heard her laugh, and he opened one eye to glare at her. She shook her head at him and sighed, then yawned, pulling out her phone and glancing at the screen. “It's time for me to get back to work. Will I see you around?”

 

Robbie shrugged again, sighing as he closed his eyes. “Well, I _suppose_ I can make the effort. If I'm not too busy.”

 

“Working on a big project?”

 

He opened his eyes fully and stared sidelong at her. “Still not going to tell you.”

 

She laughed again, and he frowned; guilt bubbled in his stomach until he remembered that he couldn't fully articulate why he had been avoiding her for the last few weeks, so it wasn't as if he had an answer for her anyway.

 

“I hope one day you'll trust me enough to tell me more about what you do for a living,” she said gently, then stood and stretched. His gaze was inexplicably drawn to the slivers of skin he could see peeking out from the sides of her overalls, and he glanced away quickly before she noticed. “Anyway, feel free to call me if you ever want to hang out...” She suddenly stopped, and he frowned up at her. Had she changed her mind that quickly?

 

She closed her eyes and pressed her face into her hands, shaking her head as she sighed long and low.

 

“I never gave you my phone number, did I?”

 

He blinked several times as he realized she was right. “Stay right there,” she said, and he watched her take a few steps towards the overactive brats. “Please, don't go anywhere. I'll be right back.”

 

Daisy shook her head at her ineptitude as she walked towards the kids, glancing back to make sure Robbie hadn't decided to leave. He was staring at her with an openly shocked expression, and she smiled reassuringly at him before resuming her quest. She watched for a moment as Pixel managed to get a goal past Stephanie, and then strode onto the sportsfield as the two teams regrouped.

 

“Hey, Stephanie?”

 

The pink-haired girl turned to her and smiled, but the grin slipped off her face as she noticed Robbie sitting on the bench behind her, presumably watching this interaction with that same shocked look on his face. The girl shook her head slightly, then turned her attention back to Daisy.

 

“Hey, Daisy, what's up?”

 

“May I borrow your pen and a piece of paper, please?”

 

She nodded eagerly and skipped to the nearest bench, where her purse rested safely out of the way. She pulled the diary out of it and ripped out a page, then handed it to Daisy along with a pen.

 

“Were you talking to Robbie?”

 

“Yes, I was,” Daisy said, hastily scribbling a note. The girl glanced at it, but then looked to her friends. Daisy didn't look up to see it, but rather finished her note and handed the pen back to Stephanie, folding the note neatly in half. “Thank you, Stephanie! I'll see you kids later!”

 

“Bye!” they all called as she ran back towards Robbie, and he stared at her questioningly as she handed him the piece of paper.

 

“There's my number,” she said with a smile, and he took it, staring at it with an odd expression. “Now don't be afraid to call, okay? We should hang out sometime.”

 

He looked back up to her, then smiled, a hopeful sort of look spreading across his face. She blinked and swallowed thickly, as her mouth suddenly felt rather dry.

 

“I need to get back to work, but I'll see you later, okay?”

 

“Okay,” he said with a nod, and he waved goodbye as she took the plate and headed back towards her house. “Thanks for the sandwiches!”

 

“Anytime!” she called back, and his smile widened. She turned away, missing the look of elation on Robbie's face as he stared at the note in his hands. He gently opened it, as if it were a fragile piece of glass that might break at any moment.

 

_Robbie-_

 

_Sorry for not giving you this earlier. Don't be a stranger, call anytime! Let's be friends!_

 

_Daisy G_

_554-5411_

 

He stared at the note, reading the words on the page over and over again, until he could feel his expression soften.

 

_Let's be friends!_

 

No one had ever bothered to befriend him at the private primary school he attended in his childhood. He liked to play by himself most of the time, tinkering away with the construction toys and envying the girls getting to play dress-up.

 

When he had come to Lazytown, the kids were nice to him at first, but the only person he could really call friend was Maggie, and even that was tenuous. She had never officially declared him to be her friend, but she at least made some effort to defend him before Athleticus turned her against him.

 

_Let's be friends!_

 

He blinked languidly, sighing as he closed the note and tucked it carefully into his vest pocket; he was far too tired to think on this right now, so he would come back to the thought once he had taken a nap, and was safe in his lair.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come on, Robbie, say yes to friendship!
> 
> More to come soon!


	8. Extra, Extra! Read All About It!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> News from Mayhemtown, and Daisy and Robbie run into each other at the store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!

_**'GLANNI GLAEPUR STRIKES AGAIN** _

 

_In a move that shocked civilians and policemen alike, notorious crime leader Glanni Glaepur, along with several accomplices, robbed Mayhemtown Bank early Wednesday evening, emptying the vaults of nearly five hundred thousand dollars. Glaepur and his accomplices then escaped and were last seen headed towards the southeastern district of Mayhemtown, which is infamous for its seedy underbelly and criminal activity._

 

“ _If he thinks he can get away with this, he's wrong,” said police spokesman Oscar Obstinate. “We're working very closely with our special task force and our own superhero to catch these criminals and bring them to justice.”_

 

_Seven people were injured in the robbery, including the bank manager, Princeton Pamper. Mr. Pamper refused to give any comment on the situation._

 

_Citizens of Mayhemtown are discouraged from approaching Glaepur or any of his accomplices, as he is considered volatile and dangerous. Police assure the public that Glaepur will be behind bars, perhaps by the end of the week. “It's only a matter of time,” superhero Number Nine said early Thursday morning. “We will catch this criminal and bring him in. The public need not worry. We already have several leads and are following every possible avenue to catch Glaepur and those working with him.”'_

 

“Oh, well!” Milford said, mostly to himself. Bessie was busy rolling her hair, not that he minded. It was nice to read the paper to someone in the mornings, after all. “With a superhero on their side, the police are sure to catch this criminal! I wonder if Sportacus knows about this?”

 

It seemed this morning, Bessie was quite interested in the goings-on, and she gasped in conspiratorial horror. “Oh, what an awful thing to happen! Well, I do hope they catch him soon! I am glad that we're far away from all that, aren't you, Milford?”

 

“Yes, of course!” he agreed wholeheartedly. “I can't imagine living in a town like that, much less being _mayor_ of it!” He sighed, shaking his head as he put down the paper. “I think we have enough to worry about with one sort-of villain living in our midst. I can't imagine actual criminals roaming these streets, and frankly, I don't want to!” He shivered as he imagined how dangerous life would become for the children if robbers and thugs lurked about in Lazytown.

 

“What do you mean, sort-of villain?” Bessie said, taking the rollers out of her hair. “He's a horrid man, Milford, you know that! Always spoiling the children's fun, always making trouble! Why you didn't send him packing _years_ ago is beyond me!”

 

“Ms. Busybody, he's really not so bad.” Milford sighed and took a sip of tea. “He's kind of funny in his own way. I really wish he was nicer to the children, but...I don't know. I don't think Mr. Rotten is really, well, _rotten_ , just...just a little misunderstood, perhaps. I hope he'll come around in time.”

 

"Misunderstood? Why, of all the things to call him!" Bessie argued. "Did Daisy ever make that cake for him? He doesn't deserve it if she did. You should have talked her out of it!"

  
  
"Ms. Busybody, I tried! But she insisted, and well, I'm her boss, but I'm not the boss of her."

  
  
"But think, Milford! A young woman like her, wasting her time on that horrible schemer? Wouldn't it be better, safer for her even, if she were to, say, fall in love with a certain superhero we all know and admire?" She sighed romantically, fluttering her long eyelashes. Milford swallowed thickly. "We could help them along, you know, especially her. Poor dear, I bet she'd be thrilled to date such a strong, handsome man..."

  
  
Well, he reasoned, once Bessie had her mind set on something, there was precious little anyone could do to stop her.

  
  
"What events do we have coming up? If we start planning now, we could have the whole thing set up before anyone suspects a thing. Oh, Milford, isn't it exciting?"

  
  
"Of course, Ms. Busybody," he said, though she was no longer listening.

  
  
_"How was your lunch in the park, my dear? I saw you all from my office."_

__  
  
Stephanie smiled at him. "It was really nice! Daisy made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Sportacus brought the sportscandy, and we talked about what we like to do and what we want to be when we're all grown up."

 __  
  
"Oh, that sounds lovely! How do you think Daisy is liking Lazytown so far?"

 __  
  
"I think she'll fit right in here!" But his niece's expression faltered for a moment. "Robbie Rotten showed up after we started a game of soccer, but he didn't try to stop us or trick us or anything. Daisy gave him some sandwiches and they talked."

 __  
  
"Well, what's so wrong about that?"

 __  
  
Stephanie huffed. "It's just...well, Robbie can be so mean...why would she...I don't know why he didn't try anything, is all. It's not like him."

 __  
  
Milford chuckled. "It might not be as bad as you think, my dear. And besides, Daisy is an adult. She can make her own decisions."

 __  
  
Stephanie looked like she might protest, but seemed to think better of it.

  
  
In all honesty, Milford felt no need to interfere with Daisy's friendships, and he thought that her stable, down-to-earth nature might benefit them all in the long run. He might be slow at times, and maybe a little oblivious, but when something was worth remembering, he could make the effort. Daisy hadn't seemed perturbed or anxious about making Robbie an apology cake, and since she had come to town, he hadn't seen or heard of any plots from the local villain. And then Daisy and Robbie had eaten lunch together with no incident, no tellings off, no bribery, no nothing.

  
  
And maybe he was missing pieces of the puzzle, and Robbie was simply waiting for a more opportune time to put another plot into motion...but so far, Daisy's arrival had brought in a marked decrease in chaos.

 

"Oh Milford, tell me what you think of this!"

 

Bessie's voice broke through his reverie, and he focused on his secretary again.

 

"The first day of summer is next weekend, so why not throw a festival? We could put Daisy and Sportacus as the setup team and simply leave them be. And then, the night of, I'll make sure Pixel chooses some nice slow songs, and the magic of the evening is sure to set them on the right track!"

 

He had to admit, that did sound rather romantic.

 

“I suppose it couldn't hurt,” he reasoned, sighing in resignation. Either way, Bessie wouldn't back down until she was proven right or wrong, so he supposed there was nothing for it but to let things take whatever course they wanted.

 

…

  
Robbie paced up and down the catwalk, shaking his head as his eyes strayed to the side table for the seventeenth time. When he came back to his lair after lunch with Daisy, he had cast her note aside and let it flutter to the floor by his chair, and he had settled down, ready for a nap. But he couldn't seem to turn off his brain, and those words echoed through his mind, over and over.

  
_Let's be friends!_

  
  
He hated to admit it, but he had actually _enjoyed_ himself eating lunch with her. It had been years since anyone's company hadn't made him gag, and goodness knows how long it had been since he last ate with someone. Heck, looking back on it, he hadn't really cared that she had eaten sportscandy. She had thought of him, and made him lunch, and she was worried because he'd been avoiding going topside. Because he still didn't know what to do about her, or how to proceed.

  
  
He smacked his lips and rolled his tongue around in his mouth. He thought about her cake, and the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches she had made.

  
  
After scrounging around under his chair, he propped her note up against his telephone with care, sighing in satisfaction once it was properly placed. He fell asleep (finally!), but when he woke, he still had no answers.

  
  
And now, two days later, he paced on the catwalk, still unsure, his head empty.

  
  
He really needed to make himself dinner. Or order something. He didn't really feel like making some cake, and he was out of popcorn. He wanted something salty, and it seemed his pantry was looking a bit barren.

  
  
With a sigh, he climbed out of his lair, walking quickly through the shifting shadows of late afternoon.  
  
...  
  
The store was as crowded as she'd ever seen, but that didn't surprise her, what with the weather rolling in, and the fact that it was Friday evening. Daisy grabbed a cart anyway and started on her list. Lunch with the kids had wiped out all her bread, and she was really in the mood for a pasta dish. Something with alfredo sauce and maybe some chicken.

  
  
She picked up jars of sauce, and bread and pasta, and then she made her way to the frozen section for some chicken. She slowed at the small selection of ice cream, debating if she wanted any, ignoring the continuous tinging of the door chime. But she broke herself out of her thoughts at the outbreak of whispering on the next aisle, growing to a murmur, until a familiar face rounded the corner, his expression set into a scowl.

  
  
He didn't notice her at first, absorbed in a display of some fancy brand of popcorn. But he must have seen her out of the corner of his eye, or sensed her looking at him, because he looked up with that same scowl until recognition flashed in his gray eyes and his cheeks turned pink.

  
  
"Hey Robbie!" she said brightly. "Long time, no see!"

  
  
He frowned at her, seemingly taken aback. "What are you talking about? It's only been two days!”

  
  
She laughed, shaking her head, and his frown melted into a sheepish grin, and he turned even pinker. "Oh!" he exclaimed, a little too loudly. "You were joking...I knew that."

  
  
Daisy couldn't help but snicker, and Robbie hurried over to her side, looking at the ice cream with a bright longing in his eyes.

  
  
"I can't decide on a flavor," she sighed, turning to look at the cooler. "What's your favorite?"

  
  
He tapped the glass in front of a cake batter ice cream, and she breathed out slowly with a tight side-smile as she glanced at the price. "Oof," she whispered. "Is it worth the price tag?"

  
  
"Of course!" he said with a little laugh, and he reached into the cooler to take a pint. "Worth every penny!"

 

He hummed in satisfaction and put it into his basket, but he didn't miss the look in her eye as she watched him. He remembered quite clearly that she had said her favorite food was ice cream, and he got the distinct impression that she really wanted to try what he had chosen, despite the steep price.  
  


He would have to remember that.

 

“What are you making?” he asked offhandedly. Maybe her response would give him an idea for dinner.

 

“Fettuccine alfredo, probably with chicken,” she replied, shuffling the things in her cart around to make room for a far cheaper pint of ice cream. Her bright green eyes glittered cheerfully as she fixed her gaze on him. “What are you making? Or are you just on a snack run?”

 

He smiled and grabbed a box of popcorn on their way down the aisle. “Just looking for a snack. I don't have any plans for dinner,” he said as Daisy put a bag of frozen chicken in her basket.

 

“Are you hungry?” she asked. “I have enough pasta and stuff here for two, if you like fettuccine alfredo.”

 

Wait, was she offering to feed him dinner? He flushed again, his mind spinning in confusion. Why was she being so nice to him? He wasn't one to turn down free food (unless it had sportscandy in it), but her motives baffled him. What was she hoping to gain? Why was she making such an effort to see to his welfare?

 

Was this what it meant to have a friend?

 

Because he absolutely hated admitting it, but this was _nice_.

 

He swallowed thickly, and he thought to himself that his cheeks must be as pink as his vest stripes by now. Why did he always get so damn flustered around her?

 

“I-I mean...if you're offering, I g-guess I could...um-”

 

“Oh Daisy! I've been meaning to talk to you! The mayor was hoping you could help out a bit for the First Day of Summer Festival we're having next weekend, you know, setting up and making sure everything is in order. Anyway-”

 

Bessie's shrill voice cut through his thoughts like noisy children's voices on a quiet afternoon, and he could feel his expression souring. Daisy flinched at the sudden outburst from the older lady rushing down the aisle, but turned to face Bessie with grim resignation.

 

“Sportacus will be there to help too, but we could really use another hand to help.”

 

Daisy stared for a moment, then sighed. “Yeah, I guess I could help. What time are we setting up?” Her voice was almost flat, and lacked real enthusiasm.

 

“Oh, I think right after lunch should do it. Pixel will be by around four to set up the music, and I'll come before it starts to set out some food for the party, but I'll tell Sportacus that you agreed to it. I'm sure he'll really appreciate the help.” Bessie threw Daisy an obvious wink, but the redhead seemed nonplussed.

 

“Yeah...um, so what, we'd set up some tables and get some tablecloths on those, and set out chairs...what time is the party?”

 

“It'll run from dinnertime until about nine or so. We'll see where the night takes us!” Bessie laughed, but Daisy simply nodded, her eyes distant.

 

“Is there lighting where we're having the party? Where...where is the party again?”

 

“In the town square, dear. I think it would look really lovely if you two could set up some string lights!” The blue-haired lady sighed wistfully. “I can see it now! Oh, it'll be so romantic!”

 

“...Right,” she replied slowly, throwing a glance his way before setting her eyes back on Bessie. “Is everyone invited, then? I presume this is in the same vein as my welcome party, like everyone in Lazytown is free to come out...?”

 

“Yes,” Bessie said, then coughed and threw him a rather ugly glance. “And we hope to have a nice party, _without any trouble_.” She looked to Daisy again, a simpering smile on her painted lips, and she huffed in frustration. “The mayor will be very happy to hear that you're willing to help us, dear. And I know Sportacus will be happy to see you. And if you need anything” - Bessie's eyes widened, and it seemed like she might be trying to tell Daisy something with just a pointed look- “don't hesitate to tell me or the mayor or Sportacus.”

 

Daisy frowned and nodded, looking confused at her words, but Bessie seemed to finally be done with her interruption. “Ta-ta!” she trilled, pulling out her phone and quickly dialing a number. “Oh, Geraldine, you'll never believe the news I have for you!”

 

Daisy watched her go, shaking her head in either disbelief or frustration, but she smiled as she turned back to him, her shoulders relaxing, her eyes sparking back to life. His mouth suddenly felt rather dry.

 

“So...what do you say? Dinner at my house?”

 

He couldn't help but smile. “That sounds perfect.”

 

She returned the gesture, and he felt oddly light as they made their way towards the checkouts together. Bessie was in line in front of them, chattering away on her phone; Daisy rolled her eyes, glancing up at him with a tired expression.

 

“Are you going to come to this First Day of Summer Festival thing? I know parties aren't really your thing, but...it would be nice to see you there.”

 

He chuckled nervously, fidgeting with his basket. “Well...if you insist...”

 

Her tired expression dissipated, replaced quickly by a sweet smile. “Then I'll see you there?”

 

Robbie's nose twitched in anticipation, but he nodded and offered up a smile. “Yes, I'll be there!”

 

She opened her mouth to reply, but Bessie tittered away out the door with her bags in tow, meaning it was their turn.

 

“Ladies first!” he said, clutching his popcorn and ice cream tightly to his chest. It was the husband at the register tonight, and Robbie averted his eyes from the man. The husband was better than the wife – every time she looked at him, he felt like she was staring into his soul – but he was still chatty, and it grated his nerves most of the time.

 

Thankfully, there were more people to be served behind him, so the husband kept his chit-chat to a minimum. Soon they were both clutching groceries and heading out into the blustering evening. He stared up nervously at the stormclouds gathering overhead, hoping they finished dinner in time for him to get home before it rained. He liked rain well enough down in his lair, as Lazytown was quietest during storms and all the noisy brats fled indoors. But being topside during a storm meant he could hear every nerve-wracking clap of thunder, a torment he was spared when he was home underground. He avoided storms when he could, and it had been at least two years since he had been above ground for one.

 

“Robbie?”

 

Her voice cut through his thoughts, though in a gentle way. He quietly admitted to himself that he liked how soft and tender her voice was when she spoke to him. No one ever spoke to him like that. No one ever said his name like she did.

 

“Yes?”

 

She looked at him with an unreadable expression in her eyes, almost like she wanted to cry. He swallowed thickly.

 

“Did you read the note I gave you?”

 

“Yes, I did!” he said, straightening his shoulders. “I have your number now!”

 

She nodded with a smile, but then it faded, and she looked down at the ground. It took him a few moments to realize that she was nervous, maybe even uncomfortable.

 

He hoped that she wasn't uncomfortable.

 

“Did you read the rest of the note?” She looked up at him, her eyes shining and hopeful, and for heaven's sake, why couldn't he look away?

 

“I did! I read all of it.” He frowned, his nose twitching again. “Why do you ask?”

 

She stared at him a moment longer, and his eyes were drawn to the slight tremor in her lower lip. “Robbie...” She sighed, shaking her head. “This is so stupid...um...” She rubbed the back of her neck. “So, do you agree with what I said? The 'let's be friends' part?”

 

“Oh!” he exclaimed, chuckling as understanding washed over him. “That! That is a thing you wrote! And I read it!” He breathed in deep just to stall for time.

 

He had told himself over and over that he wouldn't be friends with her, that it wasn't worth it, that he would just be hurt again like he had when _she_ turned against him...he was a villain, after all, and villains didn't have friends! Everyone hated the bad guy, called him names, wanted him out of their sight.

 

And she had actively sought him out, and was making an effort to see to his welfare. Feeding him, talking to him, inviting him to the First Day of Summer Festival...

 

He didn't want to go back to the way things were before she came to town.

 

“I s-suppose we can be friends,” he said softly, fiddling with his bags. “I-I mean, if you want to be. Friends, that is!”  
  


She breathed out slowly, awkward laughter tumbling from her lips, but she was smiling, looking relieved, and happy. His nose twitched.

 

“Oh, good,” she said, her voice almost breathless. “Oh thank God. I thought for a minute there you were going to say no.” She looked him in the eye, her eyes sparkling in excitement. “I'm so glad you said yes!”

 

He laughed despite himself, nodding in agreement. “I'm glad too! I...I'm... _happy_ ,” he finally said, as if he couldn't believe it. And he could hardly believe it despite his heart thundering in his chest, and the giddy feeling settling in his stomach. He felt like he could fly, and it was the most wonderful and confusing feeling in the world.

 

And he found it even more confusing that she had been nervous to ask about this in the first place. Someone like her had to have lots of friends! She was so confident, and nice to everyone, and when she smiled at him it made him feel like he was walking on air. A girl like her must be drowning in friends!

 

And she had decided to befriend a guy like him.

 

Well, her reasons still eluded him, and yes, it was playing into Sportakook's plans (whatever the heck those were), but this feeling was too good to pass up. After all, it wasn't every day he got to make a new friend.

 

He ignored every cynical thought that tried to bubble up in his brain, and put a little pep in his step as he walked beside Daisy in the evening twilight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, the friendship has finally set sail!

**Author's Note:**

> In loving memory of the great and wonderful Stefan Karl Stefansson (1975-2018). Forever in our hearts. Thanks so much for making us laugh.


End file.
